The lagena (from Greek λάγηνος : lágēnos for flask) is a structure found in humans and in animals.
In human anatomy
In the ear, the extremities of the
ductus cochlearis
The cochlear duct (bounded by the scala media) is an endolymph filled cavity inside the cochlea, located between the tympanic duct and the vestibular duct, separated by the basilar membrane and the vestibular membrane (Reissner's membrane) re ...
are closed; the upper is termed the lagena and is attached to the
cupula at the upper part of the
helicotrema
The helicotrema (from el, ἕλιξ elixmeaning coil and rēmameaning hole) is the part of the cochlear labyrinth where the scala tympani and the scala vestibuli meet. It is the main component of the cochlear apex. The hair cells near this ar ...
; the lower is lodged in the
recessus cochlearis of the
vestibule.
In fish and amphibians
The lagena is part of the
vestibular system
The vestibular system, in vertebrates, is a sensory system that creates the sense of balance and spatial orientation for the purpose of coordinating movement with balance. Together with the cochlea, a part of the auditory system, it constitutes ...
in fish and amphibians. It contains the
otolith
An otolith ( grc-gre, ὠτο-, ' ear + , ', a stone), also called statoconium or otoconium or statolith, is a calcium carbonate structure in the saccule or utricle of the inner ear, specifically in the vestibular system of vertebrates. The sa ...
s ''asterisci''. In fish, the lagena is implicated in hearing and the registration of vertical linear acceleration,
[Webb, Jacqueline F./Richard R. Fay/Arthur N. Popper (Eds.): ''Fish Bioacoustics'', Springer, 2008, p. 23.] in amphibians is the latter only.
References
Vestibular system
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