The crista ampullaris is the sensory organ of balance located in the semicircular canal of the inner ear. The function of the crista ampullaris is to sense angular acceleration and deceleration.

Background

The inner ear is comprised of 2 specialized regions of the membranous labyrinth: the saccule and the utricle.

• The saccule gives rise to the cochlear duct, which is involved in the special sense hearing.
• The utricle gives rise to the semicircular canals, which is involved in "equilibrium/balance".

The receptor cells located in the semicircular canal are innervated by the eighth cranial nerve, aka vestibulocochlear nerve (more specifically the vestibular portion).

External links

• http://faculty.une.edu/com/abell/histo/CristaAmp.jpg
• http://www.kumc.edu/instruction/medicine/anatomy/histoweb/eye_ear/ear04.htm
• http://www.anatomyatlases.org/MicroscopicAnatomy/Section16/Plate16314.shtml
• http://www.med.uiuc.edu/histo/small/atlas/objects/1296.htm
• http://education.vetmed.vt.edu/Curriculum/VM8054/Labs/Lab11/Ear/EXAMPLES/Excrista.htm