Systems Biology
The process of auditory transduction takes place within the cochlea of the inner ear. The cochlea consists of three fluid-filled channels: the scala vestibuli, scala tympani, and scala media. Mechanical vibrations from the middle ear are transformed into fluid waves in the inner ear when the stapes presses on the oval window. These waves pass through the scala vestibuli and scala tympani, bouncing off the round window at the far end. The resulting pressure changes in the cochlear duct activate the Organ of Corti.
Within the Organ of Corti, stereocilia press into the tectorial membrane, causing hair cells to bend and depolarize. This ultimately generates an action potential that travels down the vestibulocochlear nerve, or cranial nerve VIII, to the temporal lobe for processing. Basilar tuning describes how hair cells are arranged in a gradient along the length of the cochlea based on frequency. Their specific inputs are mapped onto specific areas of the temporal lobe in a process called tonotopic mapping.
Lesson Outline
<ul> <li>Review of Sound Travel <ul> <li>How sound waves reach the cochlea <ul> <li>Sound waves funneling down the ear canal</li> <li>Conversion of waves into vibrations by the tympanic membrane</li> <li>Amplification of vibrations by the middle ear ossicles</li> <li>Transfer of vibrations to the inner ear</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li>The Cochlea <ul> <li>The cochlea's three lymph-filled channels <ul> <li>Scala vestibuli</li> <li>Scala tympani</li> <li>Scala media, also known as the cochlear duct</li> </ul> </li> <li>The scala media is positioned between the scala vestibuli and scala tympani</li> </ul> </li> <li>Functions and Processes of the Cochlea <ul> <li>Conversion of mechanical vibrations into pressure waves <ul> <li>The stapes and the oval window play roles</li> <li>Flow of fluid in scala vestibuli and scala tympani</li> <li>The round window helps to maintain fluid movement</li> </ul> </li> <li>Pressure changes experienced in the endolymph fluid of the cochlear duct</li> <li>Transduction - Pressure waves into electric signals</li> </ul> </li> <li>The Organ of Corti <ul> <li>Overview of Organ of Corti <ul> <li>Contains special mechanoreceptors called hair cells</li> <li>Conducts electrical impulses in response to movement</li> </ul> </li> <li>Stereocilia - Tiny bristles on the tip of hair cells</li> <li>Tectorial membrane lying above stereocilia and hair cells</li> </ul> </li> <li>Action Potentials and Neural Transmission <ul> <li>Mechanisms of hair cells bending during wave fluctuation</li> <li>Depolarization and generation of graded potential</li> <li>Synapsing of hair cells with the cochlear nerve</li> <li>Transmission of action potentials via the vestibulocochlear nerve</li> </ul> </li> <li>Properties of Sound and Cochlea <ul> <li>Sound wave amplitude corresponds to volume</li> <li>Frequency of sound waves determines pitch</li> </ul> </li> <li>Basilar Tuning and Tonotopic Mapping <ul> <li>Overview of Basilar tuning: hair cells in the cochlea are arranged in a gradient, from low frequency at the base to high frequency at the apex</li> <li>Tonotopic mapping - Mapping of cochlea regions to specific regions of auditory cortex</li> </ul> </li> </ul>
Don't stop here!
Get access to 71 more Systems Biology lessons & 8 more full MCAT courses with one subscription!
FAQs
Auditory transduction is the process by which sound waves are converted into electrical signals in the inner ear. Mechanoreceptors, called hair cells, within the Organ of Corti detect the movement of the basilar membrane and then convert mechanical vibrations into electrical signals. These signals are then transmitted to the brain via the vestibulocochlear nerve, where they are processed and interpreted in the temporal lobe as sound.
The cochlea is a spiral-shaped structure in the inner ear that plays a crucial role in auditory transduction. It is filled with fluid and contains three fluid-filled chambers: the scala vestibuli, scala media, and scala tympani. When sound waves enter the cochlea, they create a traveling wave that moves the basilar membrane, which in turn stimulates the hair cells in the Organ of Corti. The hair cells transform the mechanical vibrations into electrical signals that are sent to the brain via the vestibulocochlear nerve for sound interpretation.
The scala vestibuli, scala media, and scala tympani are the three fluid-filled chambers in the cochlea. The scala vestibuli is located above the scala media, and it is filled with perilymph fluid. The scala media, also known as the cochlear duct, is sandwiched between the scala vestibuli and scala tympani, and contains endolymph fluid as well as the Organ of Corti. The scala tympani is situated below the scala media and is also filled with perilymph fluid. These chambers, along with the accompanying fluids, help transmit sound waves through the cochlea and enable the process of auditory transduction.
The Organ of Corti is a structure in the scala media of the cochlea that plays a key role in the auditory transduction process. It contains specialized sensory cells, known as hair cells, which are embedded in the basilar membrane. When sound waves cause the basilar membrane to vibrate, the hair cells are stimulated and generate electrical signals. These signals are then transmitted to the brain via the vestibulocochlear nerve, where they are processed in the temporal lobe as sound.
Basilar tuning refers to the ability of the basilar membrane in the cochlea to respond to different sound frequencies based on their location. The membrane is stiff and narrow at the base (near the oval window), enabling it to detect higher frequency sounds, and it is wider and more flexible at the apex, which allows it to respond to lower frequency sounds. Tonotopic mapping is the organization of sound frequency representation in the auditory system, from the cochlea to the temporal lobe in the brain. Within the cochlea, different regions of the basilar membrane correspond to specific frequencies, and this organization is maintained along the auditory pathway, including the vestibulocochlear nerve and the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe. This arrangement helps the brain to accurately perceive and interpret sound frequencies.
MCAT® is a registered trademark of the Association of American Medical Colleges. The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE®) is a joint program of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB®) and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME®). NAPLEX® is a registered trademark of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. PANCE© is a registered trademark of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. NCLEX® is a registered trademark and service mark of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. None of the trademark holders are endorsed by nor affiliated with Sketchy or this website.
