hair cells

Sensory cells that are situated on a membrane separates the cochlea into two parts. They are put into movement by the sound vibrations in accordance with certain frequencies: those closest to the base of the cochlea are sensitive to high-pitched sounds; those situated in the last part of the spiral are sensitive to low-frequencies (low-pitched sounds). The vibrations received by the cilia that these cells are equipped with are transformed by the auditory nerve into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain.