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An otolith (Ancient Greek: ὠτο-, ōto-ear + λῐ́θος, líthos, a stone), also called otoconium, statolith, or statoconium, is a calcium carbonate structure in the saccule or utricle of the inner ear, specifically in the vestibular system of vertebrates. The saccule and utricle, in turn, together make the otolith organs.
The utricle and saccule are the two otolith organs in the vertebrate inner ear.The word utricle comes from Latin uter 'leather bag'. The utricle and saccule are part of the balancing system (membranous labyrinth) in the vestibule of the bony labyrinth (small oval chamber). [1]
The otolith organs are beds of sensory cells in the inner ear, specifically small patches of hair cells. Overlying the hair cells and their hair bundles is a gelatinous layer and above that layer is the otolithic membrane. [1] The utricle serves to measure horizontal accelerations and the saccule responds to vertical accelerations. The reason ...
While the semicircular canals respond to rotations, the otolithic organs sense linear accelerations. Humans have two otolithic organs on each side, one called the utricle, the other called the saccule. The utricle contains a patch of hair cells and supporting cells called a macula. Similarly, the saccule contains a patch of hair cells and a macula.
The inner ear contains the otolith organs—the utricle and saccule—and the semicircular canals belonging to the vestibular system, as well as the cochlea of the auditory system. [ 2 ] Outer ear
The otolith organs (utricle and saccule) are sensors for detecting linear acceleration in their respective planes [2] (utrical=horizontal plane (forward/backward; up/down); saccule=sagital plane (up/down)), [3] and the three semicircular canals (anterior/superior, posterior, and horizontal) detect head rotation or angular acceleration [4] in ...
illustration of otolith organs showing detail of utricle, otoconia, endolymph, cupula, ... Not much is known of how this organ is used in other species. Research has ...
The organ of Corti is located in this duct on the basilar membrane, and transforms mechanical waves to electric signals in neurons. The other two sections are known as the scala tympani and the scala vestibuli. These are located within the bony labyrinth, which is filled with fluid called perilymph, similar in composition to cerebrospinal fluid.