Ch. 11 Anatomic Terms Flashcards
pinna
auricle (little ear); projected part of the external ear (pinna = ear)
external ear
outer structures of the ear
external auditory meatus or canal
ear canal
cerumen
a waxy substance secreted by glands located throughout the external canal
middle ear
structures in the middle of the ear that vibrate sound from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear
tympanic membrane (TM)
eardrum
malleus
hammer; first of three auditory ossicles of the middle ear
incus
anvil; middle of three auditory ossicles of the middle ear
stapes
stirrup; last of three auditory ossicles of the middle ear
Eustachian tube; auditory tube
tube connecting the middle ear to the pharynx
oval window
membrane that covers the opening between the middle ear and inner ear
inner ear; labyrinth
intricate, fluid-filled, inter-communicating bony and membranous passages that relay sound waves to auditory nerve fibers; also responsible for balance and equilibrium (labyrinth = maze)
cochlea
coiled tubular structure of the inner ear that contains the organ of Corti (cochlea = snail)
perilymph
fluid that fills the bony labyrinth of the inner ear
endolymph
fluid within the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear
organ of Corti
structure located in the cochlea; contains receptors that receive vibrations and generate nerve impulses for hearing
vestibule
middle part of the inner ear, in front of the semicircular canals and behind the cochlea, that contains the utricle and the saccule; functions to provide body balance and equilibrium
utricle
the larger of the two sacs within the membranous labyrinth of the vestibule in the inner ear (uter = leather bag)
saccule
the smaller of the two sacs within the membranous labyrinth of the vestibule in the inner ear (sacculus = small bag)
semicircular canals
three canals within the inner ear that contain specialized receptor cells that generate nerve impulses with body movement
