Auricula
Auricula
Auricula (/ɔːˈrɪkjʊlə/), also known as the ear or pinna, is a prominent part of the anatomy of the human body. It is the visible part of the ear that resides outside the head.
Etymology
The term "Auricula" is derived from the Latin word "auris", meaning "ear", and the diminutive suffix "-cula".
Anatomy
The auricula is composed of a thin plate of yellow elastic cartilage, covered with integument, and furnished with numerous blood vessels, nerves, and glands. The auricula has several important features, including the helix, antihelix, concha, tragus, and lobule.
- Helix: The helix is the prominent rim of the auricle.
- Antihelix: The antihelix is a curved prominence of cartilage parallel with and in front of the helix.
- Concha: The concha is the hollow next the auditory canal.
- Tragus: The tragus is a small pointed eminence of the external ear, in front of the concha, and projecting backward over the meatus.
- Lobule: The lobule is the soft pliable part at its lower end, composed of fibrous and adipose tissue, not containing any cartilage.
Function
The auricula serves to collect and guide sound waves from the environment into the auditory canal. From there, the sound waves are transmitted to the middle ear, where they are converted into neural signals that can be interpreted by the brain.
Related Terms
- Otorhinolaryngology: The branch of medicine that deals with conditions of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and related structures of the head and neck.
- Audiology: The branch of science and medicine concerned with the sense of hearing.
- Otology: The branch of medicine that deals specifically with the ear and its diseases.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Auricula
- Wikipedia's article - Auricula
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