- Inner surface: mucosa of tympanic cavity

HISTOLOGY: Ear - 2 layers of collagenous fibers & fibroblast; elastic fibers

October 11, 2014 | Dr. Abraham Cinio - Outer layer: collagenous fibers oriented radially
- Inner layer: circular collagenous fibers
- Pars tensa

HISTOLOGY
EXTERNAL EAR - Pars flaccida/Schrapnell’s membrane
-receives sound waves  Triangular Area in its anterosuperior quadrant
1) Auricle/Pinna  Devoid of Collagen Fibers
- Elastic Cartilage
- Perichondrium containing elastic fifers 3) Eustachian Tube
- Subcutaneous Anterior wall of tympanic cavity – posterodorsal wall of
- Hair & Sebaceous Glands nasopharynx
- Sweat Glands 1/3: supported by bone
- Keratinized Squamous Epithelium  Low columnar, ciliated epithelium
 Thin lamina propria firmly bound to periosteum
2) External Acoustic Meatus 2/3: supported by:
- Auricle to tympanic membrane  Medial: Cartilage
- 2.5cm o Elastic becoming hyaline near pharyngeal opening
a) Outer 1/3 – auricular cartilage; larger sebaceous gland o Pseudostratified epithelium
 Cerumenous Glands o Tall columnar, ciliated cells
 Coiled, tubular, apocrine sweat glands – Cerumen o Lamina propria: many compound tubuloalveolar
 Each Glands surrounded by myoepithelial Cells glands – mucus
 Gland lumen – cuboidal to columnar epithelium o Pharyngeal opening – goblet cell, tubal tonsil
b) Inner 2/3 – canal in the temporal bone  Lateral: Fibrous Tissue
 Skin
 Perichondrium Isthmus – cartilaginous & bony segment junction
 Periosteum Lumen of the tube
 Flattened in the vertical plane
 Lined by mucosa that is plicated into rugae at both
MIDDLE EAR
pharyngeal and tympanic ends
 Includes the Includes the tympanic cavity and its contents:
(1) Auditory Ossicles (2) Eustachian Tube (3) Typanic
Membrane or Ear drum INTERNAL EAR
Osseous Labyrinth: communicating cavities in the petrous portion
TYPMANIC CAVITY of the temporal bone
Walls: Cocchlear duct – occupying a spiral bony canal in this labyrinth
Lateral: TM

TEAM AB NOTES | SLU SOM BATCH 2018

Medial: Body wall of internal ear MEMBRANOUS LABYRINTH: within the communicating cavities in
Posterior: Continuous with the mastoid process of the temporal the petrous portion of the temporal bone
bone  Composed of endolymph
Anterior: Continuous with the Auditory Tube  Wall of membranous labyrinth
- Has 3 Auditory Ossicles 2 small sacs:
- Tensor tympani and Stapedius muscles 1) Utricle
- Squamous epithelium 3 semicircular Ducts:
o Near opening of auditory tube - Anterior
o Edge of tympanic Membrane - Posterior
- No glands - Lateral
- Cuboidal and may be provided with cilia 2) Saccule
Utricle and Saccule makes up the Vestibule: central portion of
PARTS: osseous labyrinth
1) Auditory Ossicles
- Malleus, Incus, Stapes  connected by diarthroidal joints Perilymphatic Space
- The foot plate of the stapes is held in the oval window by - Perilymph (CONTENTS - SEARCH)
Annular fibrous ligament - Wall of the osseous Labyrinth
- Fenestra vestibuli/Oval window: opening in the bony
labyrinth of the inner ear SEMICIRCULAR DUCTS
2) Typmanic Membrane - Changes in orientation
- Outer surface: skin - Respond to Head Acceleration
- Ends are continuous with the wall of the utricle 1
 - Sensory receptors – located in the ampullae
o Small dilatations of the semicircular ducts
o Situated near the junction of the ducts with the utricle
*Crista ampullaris – transverse ridge in the floor of each ampulla
- ridge movement & orientation with respect to endolymph
SACCULE
Ductus utriculosaccularis: ovoid thickening on the ventrical
anterior wall
Macula of the saccule: hair cells respond to movement that is at

HISTOLOGY
- Sensory epithelium over the top of the crista right angle to movement that activates the macula of the utricle
1) Hair Cells: which is horizontal
 Do not extend down to the basal lamina  Small ducts from utricle & saccule join to form
 Occupy rounded recesses between the apices of the  Endolymphatic Duct
surroundings surrounding supporting cells o Vestibular Aqueduct in the petrous portion of
 Single kinocilium on the free surface temporal bone
 cluster of specialized Streocilia (50-100) which extend o Endolymphatic Sac between the layers of the
upward into the base of a gelatinous structure called cupula meninges; absorption of endolymph
 Cupula: projects into the lumen of the ampulla  Squamous to Cu Epithelium (ML)
 Tall Columnar near end of duct
TYPES:
Type 1 Type 2 COCHLEA
- Plump, flask-shaped cells - Columnar Cells
- Round Base: nucleus - Larger Golgi Complex
surrounded by - Numerous small vesicles in
mitochondria the Cytoplasm
- Narrow Neck - Do not form a calyx
- Free surface: sterocilia with - End in a number of small
bevealed appearance terminal boutons
- nerves penetrate b/n
supporting cells
- form a chalice - like ending
investing round base

2) Supporting Cells
 Contorted cell body
 Few microvilli on the free surface  Portion of the osseous labyrinth anteromedial to the
 Basal Nucleus vestibule
 Microtubules in the Cytoplasm  Spiral Bony canal
 (?) Production of Endolymph  35mm in length
 Makes 2 ¾ turns around a conical pillar of spongy bone –

TEAM AB NOTES | SLU SOM BATCH 2018

UTRICLE modiolus
 Outer Fibrous Layer  Base: opening into the tympanic cavity – fenestra vestibuli
 Intermediate layer of vascular CT  Transmits sound vibration from TM to the Organ of Corti
 Inner layer of squamous to low cuboidal to columnar  Cochlear Canal
epithelium  Partitioned into 3 spiral chambers:
 Dark cells 1) Scala vestibule
- Irregular nuclei near the apical surface 2) Scala media – cochlear duct
- Abundant coated vesicles in the cytoplasm - Contains endolymph
- (?) role in control of ionic composition of the - Triangular in X-section
endolymph - Apex at the limbus
 Light Cells Roof:
- Sparse microvilli on apical surface  Vestibular Membrane
- 2nd partition
- arise from a tissue ridge on the upper surface of the
Macula utriculi
spiral lamina
- Specialized sensory epithelium in the floor of the utricle
- diverges from the basilar membrane to join the
- Hair cells & supporting cells
spiral ligament
- Epithelium identical to cristae ampullaris
- Reissner’s membrane
- Kinoclium & steriocilia project into the under side of the
- On the outer surface toward the scala vestibule –
otholitic membrane
thin layer of squamous perilymphatic cells
o Contain otoliths/otoconia: crystalline bodies embedded
- On the surface toward the scala media – squamous
in its upper surface
cells with microvilli
2
 Floor: Basilar Membrane
 Spiral Lamina  Extends across cochlear canal from the spiral lamina on the
 Basilar Membrane modiolus to the spiral ligament on its lateral wall
- CT from thin edge of spiral lamina;  Separates scala media from scala tympani
- Extends across the canal to its opposite wall to join  Supports the organ of Corti

HISTOLOGY
the spiral ligament of the cochlea – a thickening of 2 Zones of Basilar Membrane:
the periosteium) Zona Arcuata Zona Pectinata
- Between its medial - Trilaminar Structure
3) Scala tympani attachment and base of - Upper layer: meshwork of
- Perilymphatic spaces outermost cells of the fibers
- Communicate at the apex of the cochlea through a Organ of Corti - Lower layer: longitudinal
small opening -- helicotrema - Supports the organ of Corti fibers
- Collagen Fibers - Intermediate layer:
fibroblast-like cells
STRIA VASCULARIS
 Band of stratified epithelium continuous with the epithelium
on the inner side of the vestibular membrane on the wall of ORGAN OF CORTI
the cochlea  Receptor for Auditory Stimuli
 Contains intraepithelial plexus of capillaries  Epithelium covering the basilar membrane
 Extends from the vestibular membrane superiorly to the  Tall columnar at the lateral border of the internal spiral sulcus
spiral prominence inferiorly
 Below spiral prominence: epithelium lines the external spiral a) Hair Cells
sulcus - Inner hair cells: resemble type I cells of the
 Cuboidal cells: Cells of Clasius – continuous with the basilar vestibular labyrinth; no kinocilium
membrane b) Supporting Cells
 2 types of cells: 1. Inner Pillar Cells
a) Basal Cells o Broad Base
- Light-staining o Rest on Basilar Membrane
- Cells of Clausius o Large dark-staining bundle of filaments from base to
b) Marginal cells apex
- 2. Outer Pillar Cells
o Longer
o Oblique Orientation
3. Inner Phalangeal Cells
o Arranged in a row on the inner side of the inner pillar
cells
4. Outer Phalangeal Cells

TEAM AB NOTES | SLU SOM BATCH 2018

o Cells of Deiters
o Supporting Cells for the Outer Hair Cells
o Base is Columnar
5. Border Cells
o Mark the inner boundary of the organ
o Slender Cells
6. Cells of Hensen
SPIRAL LIMBUS o Outer border of the organ
 Area where the vestibular Membrane & Basilar Membrane
converge at the inner angel of the scala media
 Collagen Fiber
 Stellate fibroblasts
 Interdental cells

Tectorial Membrane
 Extends laterally over the hair cells
 Covers the organ of Corti
 Gelatinous Matrix Rich in mucopolysaccharides

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“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” - Dalai Lama  | ElinorCGBaggao ★ 12Oct2014