By/ Dr.

Sahar

Reference: Wheaters Functional Histology

*Definition:
It is the specialized sense organ related to
perception of hearing and maintenance of
equilibrium.
*Structure:
The ear consists of three parts:
the external ear, which receives sound waves.
The middle ear, in which sound waves are
transmitted from air to bone and by bone to the
internal ear.
The internal ear, in which these vibrations are
transduced to specific nerve impulses that pass
via the acoustic nerve to the central nervous
system. The internal ear also contains the
vestibular organ, which maintains equilibrium.
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*The auricle:
The Ear Pinna: consists of an irregularly shaped plate of elastic cartilage covered by tightly
adherent skin on all sides.
The Ear Lobule: consists of adipose tissue covered by skin on all sides.

*The external auditory meatus:

Is a somewhat flattened canal extending from the surface into the temporal bone. Its internal
limit is the tympanic membrane.
1- Outer Cartilagenous Part: 1/3
Is formed of yellow elastic cartilage lined by skin provided with hair follicles, large sebaceous
glands, and the ceruminous glands (modified apocrine sweat glands). Ceruminous glands
shares in the production of the cerumen or ear wax.
The cerumen is a brownish, waxy material formed by a combined secretion of sebaceous and
ceruminous glands. Hairs and cerumen have a protective function.
2- Inner Bony Part: 2/3
Its wall is supported by cancellous bone and lined by skin.

*The Tympanic Membrane (Ear Drum):

It is an oval membrane that closes the medial end of the meatus.
Its external surface is covered with a thin layer of epidermis, and its inner surface is covered
with simple cuboidal epithelium continuous with the lining of the tympanic cavity.
Between the two epithelial coverings is a tough connective tissue layer composed of collagen
and elastic fibers and fibroblasts.
The upper one- sixth is flaccid because the connective tissue layer is much thinner in this part
(pars flaccida = the commonest site of ear drum rupture).
FUNCTION:
It transmits sound waves to the ossicles of the middle ear.

Pinna

lobule

Shown here is the view of the tympanic membrane through an otoscope. Note
most of the eardrum has a strong fibrous layer that provides rigidity; this area is
called the pars tensa. The upper one-sixth of the tympanic membrane lacks this
fibrous layer and is termed the pars flaccida. The manubrium of the malleus
attaches firmly on the tympanic membrane and can be seen. The cone of light
from the otoscope can be seen inferior and anterior to the manubrium. Together,
they look like an arm bending at the elbow.
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*Is an irregular space that lies in petrous portion of temporal bone between the tympanic
membrane and the bony surface of the internal ear.
*Narrow and oblique.
*Boundaries:
Laterally the tympanic membrane.
Medially the bony surface of the internal ear. It has a round bulge called Promontory
caused by the basal turn of cochlea. It contains two membrane-covered oblong
regions devoid of bone; these are the oval and round windows.
Connected anteriorly to nasopharynx via the auditory tube.
Connected posteriorly with mastoid air cells of the mastoid process of the temporal
bone.
Roof tegmen tympani.
Floor thin plate of bone.
*Lining:
Lined by mucous membrane formed of simple squamous or low cubical epithelium
resting on a thin lamina propria that is strongly adherent to the subjacent
periosteum.
Near the auditory tube and in its interior, the epithelium that lines the middle ear is
gradually transformed into ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium. Although
the walls of the tube are usually collapsed, the tube opens during the process of
swallowing or yawning, equalizing the pressure of the air in the middle ear with
atmospheric pressure.

*Boundaries:

Anterior

Posterior

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Posterior

Anterior

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*Contents:
3 bones: malleus, incus, and stapes (the auditory ossicles). They are atypical long bones lacking
epiphyses. They amplify and transmit the mechanical vibrations generated in the tympanic
membrane to the inner ear. The malleus inserts itself into the tympanic membrane and the stapes
into the membrane of the oval window. These bones are articulated by synovial joints and, like all
structures of this cavity, are covered with simple squamous or low cubical epithelium.
2 muscles: tensor tympani, and stapedius. They insert themselves into the malleus and stapes. They
have a function in regulating sound conduction.
2 nerves: chorda tympani, and tympanic plexus.

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*Contains the vestibulo-cochlear organ: hearing and balance.

*Located in petrous part of temporal bone.
*Structure:
The internal ear is composed of two labyrinths. The bony labyrinth consists of a series
of spaces within the petrous portion of the temporal bone that houses the
membranous labyrinth. The membranous labyrinth is a continuous epithelium-lined
series of cavities fitted inside the bony labyrinth.

Bony Labyrinth:
The bony labyrinth consists of spaces in the temporal bone.
1- An irregular central cavity, the vestibule, housing the utricle and the saccule.
2- Behind this, three semicircular canals enclose the semicircular ducts.
3- The anterior cochlea contains the cochlear duct.
The snail-shaped cochlea, about 35 mm in total length, makes two-and-one-half turns
around a bony core known as the modiolus. The modiolus has spaces containing
blood vessels and the cell bodies and processes of the acoustic branch of the
eighth cranial nerve (spiral ganglion). Extending laterally from the modiolus is a
thin bony ridge, the osseous spiral lamina. This structure extends across the
cochlea farther in the basal region than it does at the apex.
The bony labyrinth is filled with perilymph, which is similar in ionic composition to
the C.S.F. The membranous labyrinth contains endolymph, which is different in
ionic composition from the perilymph.

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Bony Labyrinth
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Bony cochlea

Modiolus and
osseus spiral lamina

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2nd turn

1st turn

Modiolus

Longitudinal section through the cochlea

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Membranous labyrinth:
It is a system of membranous ducts and sacs filled with
endolymph and are fitted inside the bony labyrinth. It contains
receptors of hearing and equilibrium.
It consists of:
= The vestibular labyrinth (or
1- Utricle and saccule.
apparatus) contains the sensory
receptors concerned with
2- Membranous semicircular ducts.
maintenance of equilibrium
3- Cochlear duct contains the sensory receptors concerned
with hearing.

= The auditory labyrinth.

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Sensory Epithelium
Membranous Labyrinth Suspended
in the Perilymph of Bony Labyrinth

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 The membranous cochlear duct arises from the saccule and

spirals upwards with its blind end attached at the apex of the
osseus space.
The membranous cochlear duct is triangular in cross section
and suspended inside the circular bony cochlear canal.
The duct divides the bony canal into two spaces; "scala
vestibuli" above and the "scala tympani" below. Both the scala
tympani and vestibuli contain perilymph, while the cochlear
duct (sometimes called scala media) contains endolymph.
At the base of the cochlea, the perilymph of the scala vestibuli is
directly continuous with the perilymph of the vestibule.
Vibrations pass through the perilymph of the scala vestibuli
towards the apex of the cochlea.
At the apex, the scala vestibuli becomes continuous with the
scala tympani through a minute hole called the helicotrema.

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1. Anterior semicircular canal

2. Ampulla (superior canal)
3. Ampulla (lateral canal)
4. Sacculus
5. Cochlear duct
6. Helicotrema
7. Lateral (horizontal) canal
8. Posterior canal
9. Ampulla (posterior canal)
10. Oval window
11. Round window
12. Vestibular duct (scala vestibuli)
13. Tympanic duct (scala tympani)
14. Utricule

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Boundaries:
The floor of the cochlear duct is formed by the "basilar
membrane" which consists of collagenous and elastic fibres.
extending between the "osseous spiral lamina" (a shelf-like
projection from the modiolus) and the "spiral ligament" (a
thickened fibrous priosteutm). On this membrane lies the
Organ of Corti.
The roof of the duct is formed by the "vestibular or Reissner's
membrane" which consists of two layers of squamous cells.
The outer wall of the duct is formed by the "stria vascularis
which overlie part of the spiral ligament and consists of an
unusual vascularized stratified epithelium containing an intra
epithelial plexus of capillaries.

osseous spiral lamina

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marginal cell
capillaries

intermediate cell

Stria Vascularis

basal cell

Axial Section of the Cochlea

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Sensory Epithelium of the Auditory labyrinth:

=ORGAN OF CORTI:
-Is a highly specialized epithelial structure lying above the basilar membrane of the cochlea.
-It s formed of:
1. Receptor or hair cells.
2. Supporting cells.
N.B. SPIRAL LIMBUS lie in the inner side of the organ. It is formed of an elevation done by thickened
periostium of the upper surface of the bony spiral lamina.

SPIRAL
LIMBUS

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Vestibular
Membrane

SPIRAL
LIMBUS

Spiral
Ligament

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THE SUPPORTING CELLS:

They are:
I. The Inner And Outer Pillar Cells:
A single row of tall columnar cells.
The inner pillar cells are characterized by having:
-A broad base containing the nucleus lie on the basilar
membrane.
-Slender conical apex overlying the outer pillar.
The outer pillar cells are characterized by expanded apex fitting
into the under surface of the inner pillar cells.
Each pillar cell contains a dense bundle (pillar) of microtubules.
The pillar cells enclose a triangular canal (the inner tunnel = tunnel
of Corti) crossed by delicate nerve fibers.
The pillars on either side of the tunnel of Corti converge at the
surface and then curve laterally to form a thin hood-like structure
containing thin fenestrations. Through the fenestrations, project
the free ends of the hair cells.
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II. The Phalangeal Cells:

Tall columnar cells lying on the basilar membrane.
They are of two types:
A. Inner Phalangeal Cell:
A single row of flask shaped cells on the inner aspect of the
inner pillar cells.
They support and surround completely a single row of inner
hair (sensory) cells.
B. Outer Phalangeal Cell:
3-5 rows of cells which support the same number of rows of
outer hair (sensory) cells.
They have cup shaped upper ends occupied by the lower thirds
of the outer hair cells, thus they surround the bases of the
outer hair cells as well as the afferent and efferent nerves
travelling to them.
They are called phalangeal cells because slender processes
projecting from the sides of the cells reinforced by microtubules
and filaments have expanded distal ends between and around the
hair cells supporting the fenestrated hood-like structure formed by
the pillar cells.
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Inner Phalangeal

Outer Phalangeal

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Top View

Lareal View

Outer Hair Cells

Phalangeal processes

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II. The Border Cells and Cells of Hensen and Claudius

Internally there is a row of slender cells called border cells
extended between the inner phalangeal cells and the spiral
limbus.
Externally adjacent to the outer phalangeal cells, there are
polygonal cells arranged in more than one layer called cells of
Hensen and Claudius.

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ORGAN OF CORTI
Tectorial Membrane

Inner Hair Cells

Cells of Hensen

Btcher Cells

Outer Hair Cells

Border Cells

Cells of Claudius

inner phalageal
outer phalageal

outer pillar inner pillar cells

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THE HAIR CELLS:

*There are 2 types of hair cells:
Inner Hair Cells:
Arranged in a single row surrounded by the inner phalangeal cells.
They are flask shaped with central nuclei.
Their free surfaces includes 50-60 stereocilia arranged in U-shaped
pattern. They lack true cilia.
Outer Hair Cells:
Are cylindrical with basal nuclei.
They set in a cup like depression in their
supporting phalangeal cells.
Their free surfaces have 100 stereocilia
arranged in W-shaped pattern and also lack
true cilia.
Cross section of stereocilia
of outer hair cells.

*From the layer of border cells which cover the spiral limbus, extends a flaplike mass of glycosaminoglycan called the tectorial membrane which
overlies the sensory cells whose stereocilia tips are embedded in.

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Outer Hair Cells

Inner Hair Cells

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Spiral Ganglion

The spiral ganglion is a spiral mass of nerve cell bodies lying in a canal at the extremity of the
osseous spiral lamina of the modiolus.
The ganglion cells represent the cell bodies of bipolar sensory neurons relaying information
from the receptor cells of the organ of Corti to the brain.
The afferent fibers enter the ganglion from the organ of Corti and numerous bundles of efferent
fibers pass to the centre of the modiolus to form the cochlear nerve, the auditory
component of the eighth cranial nerve.

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CNS 31 Ear bioclip-1 Dr. Hindawy2.flv

CNS 31 Ear bioclip-2 Dr. Hindawy5.flv