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Q.
Receptor cells for balance in the human ear are located in
NTA AbhyasNTA Abhyas 2020
Solution:
Vestibular system is a balancing organ that is a part of the inner ear which is made up of three semicircular canals and two otoliths i.e. utricle and sacculus. The semicircular canal is sensitive to the rotation of the head and the otolith organ is sensitive to straight-line acceleration. To provide the information to the brain it is connected to the brainstem, cerebellum, and somatic sensory cortices. It is situated in the petrous portion of the temporal bone. Each semicircular canal contains an ampulla that contains hair cells that are embedded in sensory epithelium. The sensory epithelium of the utricle and saccule are the maculae which consist of hair cells and the supporting cells. These hair cells are embedded on the surface of calcium carbonate crystal that is known as otolith.
These cells detect and respond to the position of the head with respect to the linear acceleration and pull of gravity. Otolith has a higher density than endolymph and shifts when the angle of head change. The hair cells of the macula synapse with the sensory ending of the vestibulocochlear nerve. If a person rotates head then the vestibulocochlear nerve informs the brain of the head's new position. In return, the brain sends the motor signals to the skeletal muscles which either contract or relax to maintain balance.