Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Outer Hair Cells

Outer Hair Cells (OHCs) are specialised cells found in the inner ear of mammals that are responsible for amplification in the cochlear. OHCs have a unique structural and functional feature called electromotility, which allows them to actively change their length in response to an electrical signal. This feature enab…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 1 peer-reviewed article cited 🔖 ISSN 2379-8572 🗓 Reviewed July 2026

Overview

Outer Hair Cells (OHCs) are specialised cells found in the inner ear of mammals that are responsible for amplification in the cochlear. OHCs have a unique structural and functional feature called electromotility, which allows them to actively change their length in response to an electrical signal. This feature enables them to amplify the strength of sound waves passing through the cochlea and plays an important role in amplifying the faint sounds that reach the ear. This mechanism is responsible for our ability to detect faint sounds and thus is essential for hearing. OHCs are also thought to play a role in enhancing the frequency selectivity of the ear. OHCs are essential for normal hearing and their dysfunction is associated with hearing loss in humans.

Research published in this journal

1 peer-reviewed article, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Otolaryngology Advances (ISSN 2379-8572).

Journal editorial board
Ioannis Chatzistefanou · Greece Heather Bortfeld · United States Heidi Silver · United States

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.