Canadian Medical Guide > Anatomy > Nervous System > Neurons > Neurons, Afferent > Hair Cells Terms and Definitions




Hair Cells

Medical Definition: Mechanoreceptors located in the organ of Corti that are sensitive to auditory stimuli and in the vestibular apparatus that are sensitive to movement of the head. In each case the accessory sensory structures are arranged so that appropriate stimuli cause movement of the hair-like projections (stereocilia and kinocilia) which relay the information centrally in the nervous system.
Guide Notes: mechanoreceptors in the cochlea: nothing to do with HAIR; use for hair cells unspecified but HAIR CELLS, INNER & HAIR CELLS, OUTER & HAIR CELLS, VESTIBULAR are available
Previously Indexed: Organ of Corti (1966-1976)
Hair Cells Categories.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Hair Cells, Inner - Bulbous cells that are medially placed in one row in the organ of Corti. In contrast to the outer hair cells, the inner hair cells are fewer in number, have fewer sensory hairs, and are less differentiated.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Hair Cells, Outer - Mechanoreceptors in the organ of Corti. In mammals the outer hair cells are arranged in three rows which are further from the modiolus than the single row of inner hair cells. The motile properties of the outer hair cells may contribute actively to tuning the sensitivity and frequency selectivity of the cochlea.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Hair Cells, Vestibular - Mechanoreceptors located in the acoustic maculae and the semicircular canals that mediate the sense of balance, movement, and head position. The vestibular hair cells are connected to accessory structures in such a way that movements of the head displace their stereocilia. This influences the membrane potential of the cells which relay information about movements via the vestibular part of the VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR NERVE to the brain stem.

Hair Cells Medical Definitions and Terms

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