- Cochlear Fluids Picture Guide
This figure shows the location of the cochlea with respect to the external ear canal. The cochlea is shown here as the blue spiral structure, which resembles a snail. (The word cochlea is derived from the Latin word for a snail shell) The cochlea is responsible for converting sounds which enter the ear canal, from mechanical vibrations into electrical signals. This process, known as transduction, is performed by specialized sensory cells within the cochlea. The electrical signals, which code the sound's characteristics, are carried to the brain by the auditory nerve.
(Added: Sat Jun 23 2001)
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