What is the tectorial membrane?
Introduction. The tectorial membrane (TM) of the inner ear is a ribbon-like strip of extracellular matrix that spirals along the entire length of the cochlea.
What causes the tectorial membrane to move?
A tectorial (roof) membrane is held in place by a hinge-like mechanism on the side of the Organ of Corti and floats above the hair cells. As the basilar and tectorial membranes move up and down with the traveling wave, the hinge mechanism causes the tectorial membrane to move laterally over the hair cells.
Is tectorial membrane part of organ of Corti?
…the basilar membrane is the organ of Corti, an array of hair cells with stereocilia that contact a gelatinous membrane called the tectorial membrane. Arranged on the surface of the basilar membrane are orderly rows of the sensory hair cells, which generate nerve impulses in response to sound vibrations.
What are the histological features of the structure of the basilar plate of Corti’s organ?
The organ of Corti itself is located on the basilar membrane. The organ of Corti rests on the basilar membrane and contains two types of hair cells: inner hair cells and outer hair cells. Inner hair cells transduce sound from vibrations to neural signals via the shearing action of their stereocilia.
What is Hensen’s stripe?
A dark band on the undersurface of the tectorial membrane of the inner ear.
Does the basilar membrane move?
When a sound wave is transmitted to the fluid of the inner ear, the basilar membrane is set in motion. Basilar membrane motion is best described as a traveling wave of deformation, which begins at the cochlear base and moves apically toward a frequency-dependent place of maximal amplitude (Fig. 4).
What separates the scala vestibuli and the scala media?
The cochlear duct is subdivided into three compartments (scala vestibuli, scala media, and scala tympani) by two membranes: the basilar membrane, which separates scala tympani from scala media, and Reissner’s membrane, which separates scala media from scala vestibuli.
Is the scala vestibuli filled with perilymph?
The scala vestibuli and scala tympani, which are filled with perilymph, communicate with each other through an opening at the apex of the cochlea, called the helicotrema, which can be seen… potential, is contained in the scala vestibuli and scala tympani and bathes the lower parts of the hair cells.
Where is the tectorial membrane located?
The tectorial membrane is the thin superior continuation of the posterior longitudinal ligamen t from the body of the axis. It joins the axis body to the clivus on the anterior half of the foramen magnum, and ascends as high as the spheno-occipital synchondrosis and laterally extends to the hypoglossal canal. Anteriorly lies the cruciform ligament.
How does the tectorial membrane respond to sound?
Because the tectorial membrane only moves where the basilar membrane moves, the hair cells in this region will also only respond to sounds of this specific frequency. Therefore, as the frequency of a sound changes, different hair cells are activated all along the basilar membrane.
Why does the basilar membrane only move when a sound occurs?
As stated above, a given region of the basilar membrane will only move if the incoming sound is at a specific frequency. Because the tectorial membrane only moves where the basilar membrane moves, the hair cells in this region will also only respond to sounds of this specific frequency.
How does the tectorial membrane limit cervical flexion?
The tectorial membrane does not limit cervical flexion per se but rather help to insure that the odontoid process does not impinge into the cervical canal. Lateral flexion is not found to be limited by this structure.