Boettcher cells are a special

cell type A cell type is a classification used to identify cells that share morphological or phenotypical features. A multicellular organism may contain cells of a number of widely differing and specialized cell types, such as muscle cells and skin cell ...

located in the inner ear. Boettcher cells are polyhedral cells on the

basilar membrane The basilar membrane is a stiff structural element within the cochlea of the inner ear which separates two liquid-filled tubes that run along the coil of the cochlea, the scala media and the scala tympani. The basilar membrane moves up and down ...

of 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 or ...

, and are located beneath Claudius cells. Boettcher cells are considered supporting cells for the

organ of Corti The organ of Corti, or spiral organ, is the receptor organ for hearing and is located in the mammalian cochlea. This highly varied strip of epithelial cells allows for transduction of auditory signals into nerve impulses' action potential. Transd ...

, and are present only in the lower turn of the cochlea. These cells interweave with each other, and project microvilli into the intercellular space. Because of their structural specialization, Boettcher cells are believed to play a significant role in the function of the cochlea. They demonstrate high levels of calmodulin, and may be involved in mediating Ca²⁺ regulation and

ion An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by conve ...

transport. Boettcher cells are named after German

pathologist Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in t ...

Arthur Boettcher (1831-1889). Nitric oxide synthase is detected abundantly in the cytoplasm of their interdigitations. Their ultrastructure suggests that they perform both secretory and absorptive functions. Panx1 expression has been observed.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boettcher cells Ear Auditory system Human cells nl:Haarcel