A hydrodynamic model of an outer hair cell

On the model it is possible to measure the force and the force direction for each individual hair as a function of the flow direction and velocity. Measurements were made at the man flow velocity .01 m/s, which is equivalent to a flow velocity in the real ear of about 1 micrometer/s. The kinematic viscosity of the liquid used in the model was 10,000 times higher than the viscosity of perilymph to attain hydrodynamic equality. Two different geometries for the sterocilia pattern were tested. First the force distribution for a W-shaped sterocilia pattern was recorded. This is the sterocilia pattern found in all real ears. It is found that the forces acting on the hairs are very regular and perpendicular to the legs of the W when the flow is directed from the outside of the W. When the flow is reversed, the forces are not reversed, but are much more irregular. This can eventually explain the half wave rectification of the nerve signals. As a second experiment, the force distribution for a V-shaped sterocilia pattern was recorded. Here the forces were irregular both when the flow was directed into the V and when it was directed against the edge of the V.