organ of Corti

American  

[awr-guhn uhv kawr-tee] / ˈɔr gən əv ˈkɔr ti /

noun

1. Anatomy, Zoology. a structure in the cochlea of a mammal, consisting of hair cells that serve as receptors for auditory stimuli.

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organ of Corti British  

/ ˈkɔːtɪ /

noun

1. the sense organ of the cochlea by which sounds are converted into nerve impulses

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organ of Corti Scientific  

/ kôr′tē /

1. A spiral-shaped organ on the inner surface of the cochlea containing sensory receptors called hair cells that convert sound vibrations into nerve impulses. The organ of Corti is named after its discoverer, Italian anatomist Alfonso Corti (1822–1888).

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Etymology

Origin of organ of Corti

1880–85; named after A. Corti ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

organ of Corti

When the oval window is forced inward, as shown, a pressure wave travels through the perilymph in the direction of the arrows, stimulating nerves at the base of cilia in the organ of Corti.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

Immediately over the hair cells of the organ of Corti is an overhanging “tectorial membrane.”

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015

The hair cells in the organ of Corti are stimulated by particular frequencies of sound, based on their location within the cochlea.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015

The organ of Corti, containing the mechanoreceptor hair cells, is adjacent to the scala tympani, where it sits atop the basilar membrane.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

The latter distinctly says that although the organ of Corti is present in all of the whirls of the cochlea, the auditory cells in it are noticeably degenerate.

From The Dancing Mouse A Study in Animal Behavior by Yerkes, Robert M.