What is the role of the Organ of Corti?

What is the role of the Organ of Corti?

• A. It contains inner hair cells and outer hair cells that transduce sound vibrations.
• B. It houses the spiral ganglion neurons.
• C. It generates endolymph for the cochlea.
• D. It forms the tympanic membrane.

Answer: (A)

The Organ of Corti sits on the basilar membrane inside the cochlea and houses the hair cells that convert mechanical energy into neural signals. Sound vibrations bend the stereocilia of these hair cells, opening ion channels and generating receptor potentials that lead to neurotransmitter release onto auditory nerve fibers. The inner hair cells are the main sensory transducers driving the auditory nerve, while the outer hair cells amplify and sharpen basilar membrane motion to enhance sensitivity and frequency discrimination. This combination makes the Organ of Corti the primary site where acoustic energy becomes neural information sent toward the brain. External to this structure, spiral ganglion neurons reside in the spiral ganglion, endolymph is produced by the stria vascularis, and the tympanic membrane is part of the middle ear.

The Organ of Corti sits on the basilar membrane inside the cochlea and houses the hair cells that convert mechanical energy into neural signals. Sound vibrations bend the stereocilia of these hair cells, opening ion channels and generating receptor potentials that lead to neurotransmitter release onto auditory nerve fibers. The inner hair cells are the main sensory transducers driving the auditory nerve, while the outer hair cells amplify and sharpen basilar membrane motion to enhance sensitivity and frequency discrimination. This combination makes the Organ of Corti the primary site where acoustic energy becomes neural information sent toward the brain. External to this structure, spiral ganglion neurons reside in the spiral ganglion, endolymph is produced by the stria vascularis, and the tympanic membrane is part of the middle ear.