Quick Facts
The vas spirale is a prominent vessel in the basilar membrane near the inner tunnel (Dorland, 2011).
Structure and/or Key Feature(s)
A layer of vascular connective tissue is found within the tympanic lamella, just underneath the basilar membrane. One of its vessels is enlarged, the vas spirale, and is positioned just below the pillar cells that form the inner tunnel of Corti (Standring, 2016).
Function
The organ of Corti receives arterial blood from the vas spirale and the other smaller accompanying spiral vessels. This provides plenty of metabolites and nutrients for the fluid that surrounds and bathes the sensory cells. The microcirculation associated with the organ of Corti is similar to the terminal capillaries found systemically. However, there are a limited number of vessels, and so, obstruction of blood flow and the ensuing consequences may occur more rapidly and severely.
References
Dorland, W. (2011) Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 32nd edn. Philadelphia, USA: Elsevier Saunders.
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice., 41st edition. Elsevier Limited.
