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The cochlea (pl.: cochleae) is a spiraled, hollow, conical chamber of bone, in which waves propagate from the base (near the middle ear and the oval window) to the apex (the top or center of the spiral).
The basilar membrane is widest (0.42–0.65 mm) and least stiff at the apex of the cochlea, and narrowest (0.08–0.16 mm) and stiffest at the base (near the round and oval windows). [3] High-frequency sounds localize near the base of the cochlea, while low-frequency sounds localize near the apex.
The height of hair bundles increases from base to apex and the number of stereocilia decreases (i.e. hair cells located at the base of the cochlea contain more stereo cilia than those located at the apex). [14] Furthermore, in the tip-link complex of cochlear hair cells, tonotopy is associated with gradients of intrinsic mechanical properties. [15]
The base of the cochlea, closest to the outer ear, is the most stiff and narrow and is where the high-frequency sounds are transduced. The apex, or top, of the cochlea is wider and much more flexible and loose and functions as the transduction site for low-frequency sounds. [7]
At the cochlear base the BM is at its narrowest and most stiff (high-frequencies), while at the cochlear apex it is at its widest and least stiff (low-frequencies). The tectorial membrane (TM) helps facilitate cochlear amplification by stimulating OHC (direct) and IHC (via endolymph vibrations). TM width and stiffness parallels BM's and ...
The helicotrema (from Greek: ἕλιξ [helix] meaning coil and τρη̂μα [trēma] meaning hole) is the part of the cochlear labyrinth where the scala tympani and the scala vestibuli meet. It is the main component of the cochlear apex. The hair cells near this area best detect low frequency sounds.
The cochlear duct is part of the cochlea. It is separated from the tympanic duct (scala tympani) by the basilar membrane. [2] It is separated from the vestibular duct (scala vestibuli) by the vestibular membrane (Reissner's membrane). [2] The stria vascularis is located in the wall of the cochlear duct. [2]
The cochlear cupula is a structure in the cochlea. It is the apex of the cochlea. The bony canal of the cochlea takes two and three-quarter turns around the modiolus. The modiolus is about 35 mm in length, and diminishes gradually in diameter from the base to the summit, where it terminates in the cupula.