Which statement best describes the Organ of Corti?

Which statement best describes the Organ of Corti?

• A. It is the structure in the inner ear where hair cells transduce mechanical vibrations into neural signals
• B. It is the outer ear canal responsible for funneling sound
• C. It is the part of the brain that processes hearing
• D. It is another term for the tympanic membrane

Answer: (A)

The Organ of Corti is the sensory structure in the inner ear where hair cells transduce mechanical vibrations into neural signals. Located on the basilar membrane inside the cochlea, it contains hair cells whose stereocilia bend in response to the motion of cochlear fluids and the tectorial membrane. This bending opens mechanosensitive ion channels, creating receptor potentials and triggering neurotransmitter release to auditory nerve fibers. Those electrical signals travel to the brain for sound perception. The other statements point to parts outside the Organ of Corti: the outer ear canal funnels sound, the tympanic membrane is the eardrum, and the brain processes the signals rather than being the site of transduction. Thus, the described transduction by hair cells in the Organ of Corti is the correct description.

The Organ of Corti is the sensory structure in the inner ear where hair cells transduce mechanical vibrations into neural signals. Located on the basilar membrane inside the cochlea, it contains hair cells whose stereocilia bend in response to the motion of cochlear fluids and the tectorial membrane. This bending opens mechanosensitive ion channels, creating receptor potentials and triggering neurotransmitter release to auditory nerve fibers. Those electrical signals travel to the brain for sound perception. The other statements point to parts outside the Organ of Corti: the outer ear canal funnels sound, the tympanic membrane is the eardrum, and the brain processes the signals rather than being the site of transduction. Thus, the described transduction by hair cells in the Organ of Corti is the correct description.