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 Auditory Ossicles01:11

The Auditory Ossicles

2.1K
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...
2.1K
Anatomy of the Ear01:16

Anatomy of the Ear

9.1K
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...
9.1K
The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

46.2K
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.
46.2K
Auditory Pathway01:15

Auditory Pathway

5.9K
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...
5.9K
Hair Cells01:22

Hair Cells

41.5K
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.
41.5K
Compact Bone01:27

Compact Bone

13.3K
Most bones contain compact and spongy osseous tissue, but their distribution and concentration vary based on the bone's overall function.
Compact bone, also called cortical bone, is the denser, stronger of the two types of bone tissue. It is found under the periosteum and in the diaphyses of long bones, where it provides support and protection. The microscopic structural unit of compact bone is called an osteon, or haversian system. Each osteon is composed of concentric rings of calcified...
13.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Time-to-Event Comparison of Two Surgical Techniques for Excision of Localised Pars Tensa Retraction.

Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery·2026
Same author

Corrigendum to "Selective upregulation of fatty acid-binding protein 5 within the basolateral amygdala blunts stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior in mice" [Neurosci. Lett. 878 (2026) 138558].

Neuroscience letters·2026
Same author

"We need to keep in mind that battle fatigue": A commentary on moral injury among substance use treatment and community service providers.

Journal of substance use and addiction treatment·2026
Same author

The community representative council of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network: Co-design and early impact.

Journal of substance use and addiction treatment·2026
Same author

Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Upregulates Dopamine Receptor Expression Independent of Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7 Gene Deletion.

Neurochemical research·2026
Same author

2025 International Consensus Meeting on Musculoskeletal Infection: Summary From Biofilm Workgroup on Treatment of Biofilm-Related Infection and Preclinical Models.

Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 28, 2025

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

1.1K

Internal vascular channel architecture in human auditory ossicles.

Shivani M Manoharan1, Roger Gray1, John Hamilton2

  • 1Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Journal of Anatomy
|March 31, 2022
PubMed
Summary

The internal vascular system of human auditory ossicles shows individual variations but a common pattern. Bony erosion in the incus and stapes can disrupt vital blood supply channels, impacting surgical considerations.

Keywords:
auditory ossiclesdensityerosionlong processmiddle earvascularization

More Related Videos

Dissection of the Auditory Bulla in Postnatal Mice: Isolation of the Middle Ear Bones and Histological Analysis
07:40

Dissection of the Auditory Bulla in Postnatal Mice: Isolation of the Middle Ear Bones and Histological Analysis

Published on: January 4, 2017

30.7K
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

11.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 28, 2025

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

1.1K
Dissection of the Auditory Bulla in Postnatal Mice: Isolation of the Middle Ear Bones and Histological Analysis
07:40

Dissection of the Auditory Bulla in Postnatal Mice: Isolation of the Middle Ear Bones and Histological Analysis

Published on: January 4, 2017

30.7K
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

11.0K

Area of Science:

  • Anatomy
  • Otolaryngology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • The internal vascular architecture of human auditory ossicles is not well understood.
  • Limited comparative studies exist on individual ossicular vascularization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reconstruct and analyze the internal vascular channels of human auditory ossicles.
  • To investigate individual variations and common patterns in ossicular vascular supply.
  • To correlate vascular changes with bony erosion and ossicular density.

Main Methods:

  • High-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scans were used.
  • Internal vascular channels and cavities were reconstructed from 12 sets of elderly donor ossicles.
  • Ossicular densities were calculated.

Main Results:

  • A common basic pattern of internal vascular channels was identified despite individual variations.
  • The stapes footplate contains vascular channels.
  • Bony erosion in the incus long process and stapes neck was observed in all specimens, often interrupting vascular channels.
  • Malleus is denser than incus due to fewer vascular channels.

Conclusions:

  • Internal vascular patterns in auditory ossicles exhibit significant individual variability.
  • Bony erosion can compromise the vascular supply to ossicles, with implications for surgical procedures.
  • Understanding ossicular vascularization is crucial for otologic surgery and managing conditions affecting hearing bones.