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Related Concept Videos

Hair Cells01:22

Hair Cells

Hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system—they transduce mechanical sound waves into electrical energy that the nervous system can understand. Hair cells are located in the organ of Corti within the cochlea of the inner ear, between the basilar and tectorial membranes. The actual sensory receptors are called inner hair cells. The outer hair cells serve other functions, such as sound amplification in the cochlea, and are not discussed in detail here.
The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
Auditory Pathway01:15

Auditory Pathway

Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
Anatomy of the Ear01:16

Anatomy of the Ear

Auditory sensation, commonly called hearing, involves the transformation of sonic waves into neural impulses facilitated by the structures of the auditory organ. The prominent, flesh-like structure on the side of the head, called the auricle, directs sound waves towards the auditory canal. The auricle is often mislabeled as the pinna, a term more aligned with mobile structures like a feline's external ear. The auditory canal penetrates the cranium via the external auditory meatus of the...
Hearing01:31

Hearing

When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)01:32

Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)

Postsynaptic potential (PSP) refers to a change in the electrical potential of a neuron when neurotransmitters released by presynaptic neurons bind to postsynaptic receptors. This potential can either be excitatory, leading to depolarization and ultimately action potential generation, or inhibitory, leading to hyperpolarization and suppression of the postsynaptic neuron.
There are two types of receptors: ionotropic and metabotropic.
The ionotropic receptor is the membrane protein that has an...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse
11:45

Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse

Published on: February 10, 2011

The postsynaptic function of type II cochlear afferents.

Catherine Weisz1, Elisabeth Glowatzki, Paul Fuchs

  • 1The Department of Neuroscience, The Center for Hearing and Balance and the Center for Sensory Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.

Nature
|October 23, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Type II cochlear neurons, previously poorly understood, are proven to be auditory afferents. They respond to strong sound and ATP, suggesting a distinct role in hearing compared to Type I neurons.

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Auditory Brainstem Response and Outer Hair Cell Whole-cell Patch Clamp Recording in Postnatal Rats

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse
11:45

Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse

Published on: February 10, 2011

Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea
09:54

Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea

Published on: May 10, 2019

Auditory Brainstem Response and Outer Hair Cell Whole-cell Patch Clamp Recording in Postnatal Rats
09:23

Auditory Brainstem Response and Outer Hair Cell Whole-cell Patch Clamp Recording in Postnatal Rats

Published on: May 24, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Auditory System Research
  • Cellular Biology

Background:

  • Mammalian cochlea has two sensory neuron types: Type I (90-95%) and Type II.
  • Type I neurons innervate inner hair cells for acoustic analysis.
  • Type II neurons, rare and poorly studied, innervate outer hair cells and supporting cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the function and synaptic input of Type II cochlear neurons.
  • Determine the response of Type II neurons to acoustic stimulation and ATP.
  • Clarify the role of Type II neurons in auditory signaling.

Main Methods:

  • Electrophysiological recordings from Type II neuron fibers near outer hair cells.
  • Application of exogenous ATP to assess neuronal depolarization.
  • Analysis of synaptic input and action potential conduction in Type II neurons.

Main Results:

  • Type II neurons receive excitatory glutamatergic synaptic input.
  • Glutamatergic excitation requires strong acoustic stimulation.
  • Type II neurons are depolarized by ATP, both directly and via evoked glutamatergic input.
  • Type II neuron synaptic drive is of lesser magnitude than Type I afferents.

Conclusions:

  • Type II neurons function as cochlear afferents.
  • Type II neurons are modulated by ATP.
  • Type II neurons have a distinct auditory signaling role compared to Type I afferents due to their unique response properties.