Quick Facts
The cuboid external supporting cells, or Claudius cells, are the cuboidal cells found in the floor of the external spiral sulcus, external to the organ of Corti (Dorland, 2011).
Structure and/or Key Feature(s)
The cuboid external supporting cells (or Claudius cells) are the outer most epithelial cells found within the organ of Corti. They are arranged in numerous rows adjacent to the columnar external supporting cells (or Hensen’s cells). They extend out toward the epithelium of the spiral prominence to line the outer spiral sulcus. They are generally cuboidal in shape and smaller than any of the other epithelial structures associated with the organ of Corti. They form tight junctions with each other to prevent seepage of endolymph in the spaces between them.
Anatomical Relations
The cuboid external supporting cells are found are the outermost cells associated with the organ of Corti. They are situated outside of the columnar external supporting cells, within the outer spiral sulcus. Their apical surfaces are exposed to the endolymph of the cochlear duct.
Function
The current function of cuboid external supporting cells is unknown; however, they are generally considered to help support the organ of Corti, as well as forming a tight barrier to the endolymph of the cochlear duct.
References
Dorland, W. (2011) Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 32nd edn. Philadelphia, USA: Elsevier Saunders.
