U.S. National Library of Medicine

1. Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer

   Sensory cells of organ of Corti. In mammals, they are usually arranged in three or four rows, and away from the core of spongy bone (the modiolus), lateral to the INNER AUDITORY HAIR CELLS and other supporting structures. Their cell bodies and stereocilia increase in length from the cochlear base toward the apex and laterally across the rows, allowing differential responses to various frequencies of sound.