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basilar membrane

   Also found in: Medical, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.12 sec.
basilar membrane
n.
A membranous portion of the cochlea in the mammalian inner ear that supports the organ of Corti.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.basilar membrane - a membrane in the cochlea that supports the organ of Corti
cochlea - the snail-shaped tube (in the inner ear coiled around the modiolus) where sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses by the organ of Corti
tissue layer, membrane - a pliable sheet of tissue that covers or lines or connects the organs or cells of animals or plants


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? Mentioned in ? References in periodicals archive
 
In his animated film, the cochlea is shown cut open and unrolled to make it easier to see what happens to the basilar membrane as the frequency of the incoming sound wave changes (see illustration).
[6] However, Robertson was able to demonstrate changes in the tuning curves of single spiral ganglion cells in the guinea pig basilar membrane after removal of perilymph.
The scientists suggest that the contractile proteins within these unusual cells pull on external fibers that are attached to the long, spiraling inner-ear structure called the basilar membrane.
 
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