Read complete answer here. Also know, where are the otolith organs?
Description. Endolymphatic infillings such as otoliths are structures in the saccule and utricle of the inner ear, specifically in the vestibular labyrinth of all vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds). In vertebrates, the saccule and utricle together make the otolith organs.
Secondly, what are otoliths and what is their role in equilibrium? equilibrium role particles of calcium carbonate, called otoliths. Motions of the head cause the otoliths to pull on the hair cells, stimulating another auditory nerve branch, the vestibular nerve, which signals the position of the head with respect to the rest of the body.
Also to know is, how do the otolith organs work?
The otolith organs sense gravity and linear acceleration such as from due to initiation of movement in a straight line. When the stones accelerate, with respect to the hairs, they exert a shearing force on the hairs. This force is detected by the hair cells and sent to the brain via branches of the vestibular nerve.
What is the purpose of Otoconia?
Otoconia are bio-crystals which couple mechanic forces to the sensory hair cells in the utricle and saccule, a process essential for us to sense linear acceleration and gravity for the purpose of maintaining bodily balance. In fish, structurally similar bio-crystals called otoliths mediate both balance and hearing.
