Vestibular stereocilia, artwork. The vestibular system (part of the labyrinth of the inner ear) contributes to balance and provides the sense of spati

---

Vestibular stereocilia, artwork. The vestibular system (part of the labyrinth of the inner ear) contributes to balance and provides the sense of spatial orientation through sensing head movements and rotation. Within each of the three semicircular canals, an ampullary cupula filled with endolymph fluid contains sensory hair cells embedded within its lining. When the head moves, the hairs (stereocilia) are bent by the movement of the fluid and send corresponding signals through nerve cells to the brain. The signals from these hair cells are used to determine the head's position and movement or rotation.

---

Size: 3538px × 5004px
Photo credit: © TIM VERNON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, ampullary, anatomical, anatomy, artwork, balance, biological, biology, body, canal, canals, cell, cilia, ciliated, cochlear, cupula, ear, endolymph, equilibrioception, fluid, hair, hairs, healthy, human, illustration, labyrinth, mechanical, mechano-electrical, mechanoelectrical, nervous, neural, normal, physiological, physiology, semicircular, sense, sensory, stereocilia, stereocilium, system, transduction, vestibular