The organ of Corti, or spiral organ, is the sensory organ of hearing, running along the basilar membrane inside the cochlear duct. It contains one row of inner hair cells and three rows of outer hair cells, held in place by supporting cells and covered by the tectorial membrane. About 15,000 hair cells line each human cochlea.
| Location | On the basilar membrane within the cochlear duct along the length of the cochlea |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Cochlear nerve fibres from the spiral ganglion (afferent); Olivocochlear bundle (efferent) |
| Blood Supply | Cochlear branches of the labyrinthine artery |
Converts sound-driven vibration of the basilar membrane into electrical signals in the cochlear nerve.
When the basilar membrane moves, the hair cell bundles are bent against the tectorial membrane, opening ion channels and triggering nerve signals. Inner hair cells send most of the information to the brain, while outer hair cells amplify and sharpen the response. Loss of hair cells in the organ of Corti is the main cause of permanent sensorineural hearing loss.
Loud sound damages the stereocilia and kills hair cells, starting with outer hair cells in the basal turn, causing high-frequency hearing loss and tinnitus.
Drugs such as gentamicin destroy cochlear hair cells, with a strong genetic susceptibility in carriers of a mitochondrial variant (m.1555A>G).
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.
If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.
Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.
Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.
