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Auditory Pathway

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 Cochlea

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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 15, 2025

Whole Mount Dissection and Immunofluorescence of the Adult Mouse Cochlea

Whole Mount Dissection and Immunofluorescence of the Adult Mouse Cochlea

Published on: January 1, 2016

Retrograde ERK activation waves drive base-to-apex multicellular flow in murine cochlear duct morphogenesis.

Mamoru Ishii¹, Tomoko Tateya², Michiyuki Matsuda^1,3

¹Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

|March 5, 2021

Summary

Waves of ERK activation guide cell movement, driving the spiral shape of the developing cochlear duct essential for hearing. This study reveals a novel mechanism coordinating cell behavior for organ development.

Keywords:

FRET imaging MAPK/ERK developmental biology mathematical modeling mechano-chemical feedbacks morphogenesis mouse multicellular flow

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Last Updated: Nov 15, 2025

Whole Mount Dissection and Immunofluorescence of the Adult Mouse Cochlea

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Published on: January 1, 2016

In Ovo and Ex Ovo Methods to Study Avian Inner Ear Development

In Ovo and Ex Ovo Methods to Study Avian Inner Ear Development

Published on: June 16, 2022

Gene Transfer into the Chicken Auditory Organ by In Ovo Micro-electroporation

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Published on: April 17, 2016

Area of Science:

Developmental biology
Cellular dynamics
Organogenesis

Background:

The spiral architecture of the mammalian cochlear duct is crucial for hearing.
While signaling molecules are known, the cellular dynamics driving cochlear duct development remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation waves in controlling collective cell migration during murine cochlear duct development.

Main Methods:

Deep tissue live-cell imaging
Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based quantitation
Mathematical modeling

Main Results:

Helical ERK activation waves propagate from the cochlear duct tip.
Reverse multicellular flow on the lateral side drives advection-based duct elongation.
Mechanochemical feedback generates oscillatory ERK activity and cell flow waves.

Conclusions:

ERK activation waves coordinate collective cell migration for cochlear duct elongation.
This study proposes a regulatory mechanism for multicellular behaviors in organ development.