Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

52.5K
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.
52.5K
Anatomy of the Ear01:16

Anatomy of the Ear

13.7K
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...
13.7K
Hair Cells01:22

Hair Cells

46.6K
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.
46.6K
The Auditory Ossicles01:11

The Auditory Ossicles

3.8K
The auditory ossicles of the middle ear transmit sounds from the air as vibrations to the fluid-filled cochlea. The auditory ossicles consist of two malleus (hammer) bones, two incus (anvil) bones, and two stapes (stirrups), one on each side. These bones develop during the fetal stage and are the ones to ossify first. They are fully mature at birth and do not grow afterward.
The aptly named stapes look very much like a stirrup. The three ossicles are unique to mammals, and each plays a role in...
3.8K
Auditory Pathway01:15

Auditory Pathway

8.9K
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...
8.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Distinct disease mutations in DNMT3A result in a spectrum of behavioral, epigenetic, and transcriptional deficits.

Cell reports·2023
Same author

Distinct disease mutations in DNMT3A result in a spectrum of behavioral, epigenetic, and transcriptional deficits.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2023
Same author

Dental cementum virtual histology of Neanderthal teeth from Krapina (Croatia, 130-120 kyr): an informed estimate of age, sex and adult stressors.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2022
Same author

Growth of Neanderthal infants from Krapina (120-130 ka), Croatia.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2021
Same author

Functional and epigenetic phenotypes of humans and mice with DNMT3A Overgrowth Syndrome.

Nature communications·2021
Same author

DNMT3A Haploinsufficiency Results in Behavioral Deficits and Global Epigenomic Dysregulation Shared across Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Cell reports·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Extracting the Cochlea from a Human Temporal Bone: A Cadaveric Protocol
06:42

Extracting the Cochlea from a Human Temporal Bone: A Cadaveric Protocol

Published on: August 18, 2023

2.2K

Cochlear labyrinth volume in Krapina Neandertals.

Michaela E Beals1, David W Frayer1, Jakov Radovčić2

  • 1Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas, 622 Fraser Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.

Journal of Human Evolution
|November 26, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Krapina Neandertals had cochlear volumes similar to modern humans, suggesting a comparable range of audible frequencies. This finding contrasts with the smaller cochleae and higher hearing ranges observed in chimpanzees and gorillas.

Keywords:
Auditory systemCochlear sizeInner ear

More Related Videos

A Protocol for Decellularizing Mouse Cochleae for Inner Ear Tissue Engineering
09:53

A Protocol for Decellularizing Mouse Cochleae for Inner Ear Tissue Engineering

Published on: January 1, 2018

11.7K
Immunolabeling and Counting Ribbon Synapses in Young Adult and Aged Gerbil Cochleae
08:25

Immunolabeling and Counting Ribbon Synapses in Young Adult and Aged Gerbil Cochleae

Published on: April 21, 2022

3.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Extracting the Cochlea from a Human Temporal Bone: A Cadaveric Protocol
06:42

Extracting the Cochlea from a Human Temporal Bone: A Cadaveric Protocol

Published on: August 18, 2023

2.2K
A Protocol for Decellularizing Mouse Cochleae for Inner Ear Tissue Engineering
09:53

A Protocol for Decellularizing Mouse Cochleae for Inner Ear Tissue Engineering

Published on: January 1, 2018

11.7K
Immunolabeling and Counting Ribbon Synapses in Young Adult and Aged Gerbil Cochleae
08:25

Immunolabeling and Counting Ribbon Synapses in Young Adult and Aged Gerbil Cochleae

Published on: April 21, 2022

3.0K

Area of Science:

  • Paleoanthropology
  • Bioacoustics
  • Comparative Anatomy

Background:

  • Cochlear labyrinth volume in primates correlates with audible frequency range.
  • Smaller cochleae are associated with higher audible frequency limits.
  • Fossil cochlear size can be determined from bony labyrinth anatomy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare Krapina Neandertal cochlear volumes with those of extant primate taxa.
  • To infer the auditory capabilities of Krapina Neandertals based on cochlear size.

Main Methods:

  • High-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans of temporal bones were used.
  • Cochlear volumes were measured for Krapina Neandertals, chimpanzees, gorillas, and modern humans.

Main Results:

  • Krapina Neandertal cochlear volumes are comparable to modern Homo sapiens.
  • Chimpanzee and gorilla cochlear volumes are significantly smaller than those of Krapina Neandertals and modern humans.

Conclusions:

  • Krapina Neandertals likely possessed a range of audible frequencies similar to modern humans.
  • Neandertal auditory perception may not have differed significantly from contemporary humans in terms of frequency range.