basilar membrane

American  

noun

Anatomy.

1. a supporting membrane, especially the membrane that supports the organ of Corti in the ear and aids in translating sound vibrations into electrical signals.

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Etymology

Origin of basilar membrane

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Once in the cochlea, the energy causes the basilar membrane to flex, thereby bending the stereocilia on receptor hair cells.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

When the sound waves in the cochlear fluid contact the basilar membrane, it flexes back and forth in a wave-like fashion.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Figure 14.10 Frequency Coding in the Cochlea The standing sound wave generated in the cochlea by the movement of the oval window deflects the basilar membrane on the basis of the frequency of sound.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Protein fibers tether adjacent hairs together within each array, such that the array will bend in response to movements of the basilar membrane.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Periopticon: a complex nerve structure back of the basilar membrane of the eye.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.