Crista ampullaris
Crista Ampullaris
The Crista Ampullaris (pronounced: kris-ta am-pu-lar-is) is a sensory organ in the semicircular canals of the inner ear that detects changes in body movement.
Etymology
The term 'Crista Ampullaris' is derived from Latin, where 'Crista' means crest and 'Ampullaris' refers to a small flask or bottle, which describes the shape of the structure.
Function
The Crista Ampullaris is responsible for detecting rotational acceleration and deceleration in the body. It does this by sensing the movement of endolymph, a fluid in the semicircular canals. When the body moves, the endolymph moves, causing the sensory hair cells in the Crista Ampullaris to bend. This bending triggers nerve impulses that are sent to the brain via the vestibular nerve, allowing the brain to interpret the body's movement and maintain balance.
Structure
The Crista Ampullaris is located in the enlarged portion of the semicircular canals, known as the ampulla. It consists of a mound of tissue covered with hair cells. These hair cells are embedded in a gelatinous mass called the cupula, which moves in response to the movement of the endolymph.
Related Terms
- Semicircular canals: The three fluid-filled tubes in the inner ear that help to maintain balance.
- Endolymph: The fluid in the semicircular canals that moves in response to body movement.
- Vestibular nerve: The nerve that carries signals from the inner ear to the brain.
- Ampulla: The enlarged portion of the semicircular canals where the Crista Ampullaris is located.
- Cupula: The gelatinous mass in which the hair cells of the Crista Ampullaris are embedded.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Crista ampullaris
- Wikipedia's article - Crista ampullaris
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