A confocal micrograph of the mammalian inner ear. The inner ear or auris internal is the innermost part of the vertebrate ear. It consists of a bony labyrinth—a hollow cavity in the temporal bone of the skull with a system of passages comprising two main functional parts. The cochlea is dedicated to hearing, converting sound pressure patterns from the outer ear into electrochemical impulses passed to the brain for processing. The vestibular system is dedicated to maintaining balance.
Image courtesy of Glen MacDonald, University of Washington/Bioscapes.