The cochlea of the inner ear (cochlea) is one of the main organs of hearing in humans and other mammals. It is a spiral canal about 35 mm long, which is located inside the skull and forms 2.5 turns around its axis. The cochlear part of the auditory analyzer is located in the pyramids of the temporal bones and has a complex structure consisting of various elements.
The main element of the cochlea is the organ of Corti, which is located on the basilar membrane. The organ of Corti consists of many sensory hair cells that are responsible for the perception of sound waves. When sound waves are transmitted through the perilymph into the cochlea, they cause vibrations in the basilar membrane, which transmits these vibrations to the organ of Corti.
The hair cells of the organ of Corti have stereocilia on their surface - long hairs that bend when the basilar membrane vibrates. This process causes a nerve impulse to occur in the hair cells, which is then transmitted to the brain and interpreted as sound.
The cochlea also has other elements, such as the spiral duct, which connects the organ of Corti to the eardrum, and the membranous canal, which allows fluid to be transferred within the cochlea. In addition, the cochlea has many blood vessels and nerve fibers that provide it with nutrition and signal transmission.
Overall, the cochlea is an important hearing organ that allows us to perceive and recognize sound waves. Its complex structure and functioning allow us to hear sounds and understand speech, which is essential for our communication and interaction with the world around us.
The cochlea is a small part of the inner ear responsible for the perception of sound. The main function of the cochlea is to convert vibrations of sound waves into nerve impulses that are transmitted to the brain to perceive sounds.
The cochlea contains many structures that allow it to perform this function. The main components of the cochlea are the helix and the spiral