Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 17, 2025

In Ovo and Ex Ovo Methods to Study Avian Inner Ear Development
Published on: June 16, 2022
Development of the cochlea
Elizabeth Carroll Driver1, Matthew W Kelley2
1Laboratory of Cochlear Development, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Abstract:
The cochlea, a coiled structure located in the ventral region of the inner ear, acts as the primary structure for the perception of sound. Along the length of the cochlear spiral is the organ of Corti, a highly derived and rigorously patterned sensory epithelium that acts to convert auditory stimuli into neural impulses. The development of the organ of Corti requires a series of inductive events that specify unique cellular characteristics and axial identities along its three major axes. Here, we review recent studies of the cellular and molecular processes regulating several aspects of cochlear development, such as axial patterning, cochlear outgrowth and cellular differentiation. We highlight how the precise coordination of multiple signaling pathways is required for the successful formation of a complete organ of Corti.
Related Concept Videos
The Cochlea
Auditory Pathway
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking...
Hair Cells
Anatomy of the Ear
The Auditory Ossicles
The aptly named stapes look very much like a stirrup. The three ossicles are unique to mammals, and each plays a role in...
Hearing

