The vestibular membrane, vestibular wall or Reissner's membrane, is a

membrane A membrane is a selective barrier; it allows some things to pass through but stops others. Such things may be molecules, ions, or other small particles. Membranes can be generally classified into synthetic membranes and biological membranes. ...

inside the

cochlea The cochlea is the part of the inner ear involved in hearing. It is a spiral-shaped cavity in the bony labyrinth, in humans making 2.75 turns around its axis, the modiolus. A core component of the cochlea is the Organ of Corti, the sensory org ...

of the

inner ear The inner ear (internal ear, auris interna) is the innermost part of the vertebrate ear. In vertebrates, the inner ear is mainly responsible for sound detection and balance. In mammals, it consists of the bony labyrinth, a hollow cavity in t ...

. It separates the cochlear duct from the vestibular duct. It helps to transmit vibrations from fluid in the vestibular duct to the cochlear duct. Together with the basilar membrane, it creates a compartment in the cochlea filled with

endolymph Endolymph is the fluid contained in the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear. The major cation in endolymph is potassium, with the values of sodium and potassium concentration in the endolymph being 0.91 mM and 154 mM, respectively. ...

, which is important for the function of the spiral organ of Corti. It allows nutrients to travel from the perilymph to the

of the membranous labyrinth. It may be damaged in

Ménière's disease Ménière's disease (MD) is a disease of the inner ear that is characterized by potentially severe and incapacitating episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness in the ear. Typically, only one ear is affected initi ...

. It is named after the German

anatomist Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having it ...

Ernst Reissner.

Structure

The vestibular membrane separates the cochlear duct (scala media) from the vestibular duct (scala vestibuli).

Microanatomy

Histologically, the membrane is composed of two layers of flattened epithelium. These are separated by a basal lamina. Its structure suggests that its function is transport of fluid and electrolytes.

Function

The vestibular membrane helps to transmit vibrations from fluid in the vestibular duct to the cochlear duct. Together with the basilar membrane, the vestibular membrane creates a compartment in the cochlea filled with

. This is important for the function of the spiral organ of Corti. It primarily functions as a

diffusion Diffusion is the net movement of anything (for example, atoms, ions, molecules, energy) generally from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. Diffusion is driven by a gradient in Gibbs free energy or chemical p ...

barrier, allowing nutrients to travel from the perilymph to the

of the membranous labyrinth.

Clinical significance

The vestibular membrane may be ruptured by an increase in the pressure of endolymph in the cochlear duct. This may occur in

History

The vestibular membrane is also known as Reissner's membrane. This alternative name is named after German

Ernst Reissner (1824-1878).

Additional images

File:Gray929.png, Floor of cochlear duct. File:Gray930.png, Spiral limbus and basilar membrane.

References

External links

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Overview
at

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...

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at University of New England, Maine {{Auditory system Auditory system Ear