- The lateral line of fishes is used for maintaining equilibrium in their watery environment. The lateral line consists of organs containing a moveable cupula, located in ridges along the outside of the body. The cupula contain hair cells with stereocilia that bend when the fish moves through water. When a cell is bent, it results in the firing of an action potential through the nervous system to the brain. Only certain cells are bent and depolarized by water from a given direction, thus enabling the fish to orient itself.

- The statocyst of crustaceans consists of a chamber of statoliths surrounded by hair cells. The statoliths are comprised of grains of sand or similar material. The force of gravity acts upon the statoliths, causing them to rest at a particular area of the organ. Depending on their location, certain hair cells are depolarized, providing the organism with orientation information.

- The human ear contains organs of hearing as well as of balance. The organs of balance are located in the inner ear, at the base of the semicircular canals.

- Structures at the base of the semicircular canals called ampullae contain hair cells, which are embedded in cupulae. Positional information is gained when fluid of the inner ear pushes up against the hair cells, causing them to bend.

- Otoliths embedded in the gelatinous matrix, provide additional orientation information. Like the otoliths of crustaceans, they move in response to gravity and trigger hair cells to generate an action potential.

The ampullae and otoliths are

- structures of the inner ear that provide positional information.

Which of the following more accurately describes how the lateral line of fishes works?

- Stereocilia of hair cells bend when fluid moves over them, triggering an action potential.

- are organs that function in equilibrium in invertebrates.

12.16.3 The Ear and Equilibrium Flashcards by Irina Soloshenko

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12.16.3 The Ear and Equilibrium Flashcards

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