Anatomy of the Ear

Question 1

What kind of tissue is present at the pinna/auricle

Answer 1

Stratified keratinized epithelium (skin)

Elastic cartilage

Question 2

What is the external ear canal made of?

Answer 2

Lateral third made of skin and cartilage, medial third made of skin and bone

Question 3

What are the three layers of the tympanic membrane?

Answer 3

Outer layer is continuous with skin of external auditory canal
Middle fibrous layer
Inner layer of respiratory epithelium (ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells)

Question 4

What is the function of the ossicles?

Answer 4

To conduct sound waves from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear

Question 5

What kind of epithelium lines the middle ear?

Answer 5

Ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells (respiratory epithelium)

Question 6

What is cholesteatoma?

Answer 6

Skin in the middle ear- keratinized squamous epithelium in the wrong place

Question 7

What are the component parts of the inner ear?

Answer 7

Bony and membranous labyrinthes
Cochlear
Peripheral vestibular apparatus
Vestibulocochlear nerve

Question 8

Describe the process of hearing

Answer 8

Middle ear transduces vibration into nervous impulses
Foot of stapes vibrates in oval window causing pressure wave through fluid in cochlear, which is detected by hair cells in the organ of corti and transmitted to the brainstem by CNVIII