Stereocilia (inner ear)

This article is about the stereocilia of the ear. For the stereocilia of the epididymis, see Stereocilia (epididymis).
See also: Hair cell
Stereocilia of frog inner ear.

In the inner ear, stereocilia are the mechanosensing organelles of hair cells, which respond to fluid motion in numerous types of animals for various functions, including hearing and balance. They are about 10–50 micrometers in length and share some similar features of microvilli.[1] The hair cells turn the fluid pressure and other mechanical stimuli into electric stimuli via the many microvilli that make up stereocilia rods.[2] Stereocilia exist in the auditory and vestibular systems.

  1. ^ Caceci, T. VM8054 Veterinary Histology: Male Reproductive System. http://education.vetmed.vt.edu/Curriculum/VM8054/Labs/Lab27/Lab27.htm (accessed 2/16/06).
  2. ^ Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. and Walter, P. (2002) The Molecular Biology of the Cell. Garland Science Textbooks.