2012 Inner Ear Physiology

Example test questionTransduction mechanism

Critical Fact icon

 Transduction direction
Hair cell transduction is DIRECTIONAL:
  • displacement TOWARDS THE TALLEST ROW OF STEREOCILIA (positive deflection) is DEPOLARIZING
    • in the cochlea, this corresponds to movement towards scala vestibuli
  • displacement TOWARDS THE SHORTEST ROW OF STEREOCILIA (negative deflection) is HYPERPOLARIZING
    • this corresponds to movement towards scala tympani
Remember the discussion of transduction in the sensory physiology lecture
(the auditory system was used as an example)
Email: Dr. Janet Fitzakerley | ©2012 University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth | Last modified: 22-feb-12 9:00 PM