Claudius cells are considered as supporting cells within the organ of Corti in the cochlea. These cells extend from Hensen's cells to the spiral prominence epithelium, forming the outer sulcus. They are in direct contact with the endolymph of the cochlear duct. These cells are sealed via tight junctions that prevent flow of endolymph between them. Boettcher cells are located immediately under Claudius cells [1] in the lower turn of the cochlea. [2]
The organ of Corti, or spiral organ, is the receptor organ for hearing and is located in the mammalian cochlea. This highly varied strip of epithelial cells allows for transduction of auditory signals into nerve impulses' action potential. Transduction occurs through vibrations of structures in the inner ear causing displacement of cochlear fluid and movement of hair cells at the organ of Corti to produce electrochemical signals.
The cochlea is the part of the inner ear involved in hearing. It is a spiral-shaped cavity in the bony labyrinth, in humans making 2 turns(full) and a 3/4(3 quarters) turn around its axis, the modiolus. A core component of the cochlea is the Organ of Corti, the sensory organ of hearing, which is distributed along the partition separating fluid chambers in the coiled tapered tube of the cochlea.
Hensen’s cells are a layer of tall cells arranged in the organ of Corti in the cochlea, which are part of the supporting cells lie on the outer hair cells (OHC). Their appearance are upper part wide with lower part narrow, column like cells. One significant morphologic feature of Hensen's cells is the lipid droplets, which are most noticeable at the third and forth turns of the cochlear, the lipid droplets are thought to have association with the auditory process because they are parallel to the innervation.
Claudius cells are named after German anatomist, Friedrich Matthias Claudius (1822–1869).
Friedrich Matthias Claudius was a German anatomist who was a native of Lübeck. He was related to the German poet Matthias Claudius (1740–1815).
The inner ear is the innermost part of the vertebrate ear. In vertebrates, the inner ear is mainly responsible for sound detection and balance. In mammals, it consists of the bony labyrinth, a hollow cavity in the temporal bone of the skull with a system of passages comprising two main functional parts:
Cochlear, the adjective form of cochlea, may refer to:
The semicircular canals or semicircular ducts are three semicircular, interconnected tubes located in the innermost part of each ear, the inner ear. The three canals are the horizontal, superior and posterior semicircular canals.
The basilar membrane within the cochlea of the inner ear is a stiff structural element that separates two liquid-filled tubes that run along the coil of the cochlea, the scala media and the scala tympani.
The auditory system is the sensory system for the sense of hearing. It includes both the sensory organs and the auditory parts of the sensory system.
Endolymph is the fluid contained in the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear. The major cation in endolymph is potassium, with the values of sodium and potassium concentration in the endolymph being 0.91 mM and 154 mM, respectively. It is also called Scarpa's fluid, after Antonio Scarpa.
In the inner ear, stereocilia are the mechanosensing organelles of hair cells, which respond to fluid motion in numerous types of animals for various functions, including hearing and balance. They are about 10–50 micrometers in length and share some similar features of microvilli. The hair cells turn the fluid pressure and other mechanical stimuli into electric stimuli via the many microvilli that make up stereocilia rods. Stereocilia exist in the auditory and vestibular systems.
Perilymph is an extracellular fluid located within the inner ear. It is found within the scala tympani and scala vestibuli of the cochlea. The ionic composition of perilymph is comparable to that of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. The major cation in perilymph is sodium, with the values of sodium and potassium concentration in the perilymph being 138 mM and 6.9 mM, respectively. It is also named Cotunnius' liquid and liquor cotunnii for Domenico Cotugno.
The Cochlear Duct is an endolymph filled cavity inside the cochlea, located in between the tympanic duct and the vestibular duct, separated by the basilar membrane and Reissner's membrane respectively.
The vestibular membrane, vestibular wall or Reissner's membrane, is a membrane inside the cochlea of the inner ear. It separates the cochlear duct from the vestibular duct. Together with the basilar membrane it creates a compartment in the cochlea filled with endolymph, which is important for the function of the spiral organ of Corti. It primarily functions as a diffusion barrier, allowing nutrients to travel from the perilymph to the endolymph of the membranous labyrinth.
The upper portion of the spiral ligament (which forms the outer wall of the cochlear duct) contains numerous capillary loops and small blood vessels, and is termed the stria vascularis. It produces endolymph for the scala media, one of the three fluid-filled compartments of the cochlea. The stria is a somewhat stratified epithelium containing primarily three cell types (marginal, intermediate, and basal cells) and intraepithelial capillaries. The marginal cells are involved primarily in K+ transport and line the endolymphatic space of the scala media. The intermediate pigment-containing cells are scattered among capillaries. The basal cells separate stria vascularis from the underlying spiral ligament. The stria vascularis also contains pericyte, melanocyte, and endothelial cells. It is the only epithelial tissue that is not avascular (i.e. completely lacking blood and lymphatic vessels).
A kinocilium is a special type of cilium on the apex of hair cells located in the sensory epithelium of the vertebrate inner ear.
Boettcher cells are a special cell type located in the inner ear.
Gap junction beta-6 protein (GJB6), also known as connexin 30 (Cx30) — is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GJB6 gene. Connexin 30 (Cx30) is one of several gap junction proteins expressed in the inner ear. Mutations in gap junction genes have been found to lead to both syndromic and nonsyndromic deafness. Mutations in this gene are associated with Clouston syndrome.
The neuronal encoding of sound is the representation of auditory sensation and perception in the nervous system.
The endocochlear potential is the positive voltage of 80-100mV seen in the cochlear endolymphatic spaces. Within the cochlea the EP varies in the magnitude all along its length. When a sound is presented, the endocochlear potential changes either positive or negative in the endolymph, depending on the stimulus. The change in the potential is called the summating potential.
The reticular membrane is a thin, stiff lamina that extends from the outer hair cells to the Hensen's cells. The RM is composed of "minute-fiddle-shaped cuticular structures" called the phalangeal extensions of the outer hair cells, interspaced with extensions coming from the outer phalangeal cells. The RM separates endolymph in the cochlear duct from underlying corticolymph and perilymph of the scala tympani.