Q90. The Organ of Corti is found in which of the following parts of human
body?
(A) Heart
(B) Inner ear
(C) Kidney
(D) Nasal cavity
The Organ of Corti is located in the inner ear, specifically within the cochlea, making option (B) the correct answer.
Option Analysis
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(A) Heart: The heart contains structures like valves, chambers, and myocardium for pumping blood, but no auditory components like the Organ of Corti.
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(B) Inner ear: This is correct; the Organ of Corti rests on the basilar membrane in the cochlea’s scala media, housing hair cells that transduce sound vibrations into nerve impulses.
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(C) Kidney: Kidneys feature nephrons for filtration and urine production, unrelated to hearing mechanisms.
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(D) Nasal cavity: This area supports olfaction with olfactory epithelium, not sound detection.
The Organ of Corti in inner ear serves as the critical receptor for hearing, converting sound waves into neural signals within the cochlea. Located on the basilar membrane in the scala media, this spiral organ features inner and outer hair cells with stereocilia that respond to fluid vibrations from sound. For students tackling questions like “The Organ of Corti is found in which part of human body?”, understanding its exclusive inner ear placement distinguishes it from unrelated organs.
Structure and Hearing Mechanism
Hair cells in the Organ of Corti inner ear bend stereocilia against the tectorial membrane, generating electrochemical signals sent via the auditory nerve. Inner hair cells handle primary sensory input, while outer ones amplify signals. This setup enables frequency discrimination across the cochlea’s length.
Why Not Other Options?
Common MCQ distractors fail anatomical checks:
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Heart focuses on circulation, lacking sensory epithelia.
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Kidney manages excretion via nephrons.
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Nasal cavity aids smell, not audition.
Exam Relevance for CSIR NET
In competitive exams, “Organ of Corti is found in” tests inner ear anatomy knowledge, emphasizing cochlea’s role in audition over vestibular balance functions. Master this for sections on sensory physiology.


