Week 6-1 - Vestibular System

What is the vestibular system?

sensory end organs in inner ear

What are the vestibular end organs in the inner ear called?

semi-circular canals and otolith organs

How many semi-circular canals are in the vestibular system?

3

What are the three semi-circular canals?

anterior, posterior and horizontal

How manu otolith organs are in the vestibular system?

2

What are the two otolith organs?

utricle and saccule

What do the semi-circular canals consist of?

3 angular accelerometers

What is a key component of all three of the semi-circular canals/

they have mutually perpendicular planes

What is a cupula?

house hair cells in the Crista

What is a characteristic of the canal?

filled with fluid

What is the name of the fluid which fills a canal?

endolymph

What is the role of hair cells?

transform mechanical energy into neural activity

What kind of receptor is a hair cell considered?

mechanoreceptor

What are the names of the hair bundles found on hair cells?

kinocilium and stereocilia

What happens when stereocilia are pushed towards kinocilium?

the hair cell depolarizes