Ear hair cells allow us to hear sound, and they also make us breathe. How?

[LarsKnowles]

Ear hair cells are mechanoreceptors, and are also respiratory chemoreceptors at the same time. How exactly, do these cells have two functions at the same time?

Ear hair cells are mechanoreceptors (allow us to hear sound) and these same cells are also respiratory chemoreceptors which make us breathe. In 2007 it was discovered that damage, or loss of these cells could cause death from respiratory failure.

[write4u]

10 hours ago, LarsKnowles said:

Ear hair cells are mechanoreceptors, and are also respiratory chemoreceptors at the same time. How exactly, do these cells have two functions at the same time?

Because cellular microtubules are functional for both purposes.  Hairs can act as cilia.

POSTED ONJULY 3, 2019

Cilia: Tiny Cell Structures With Mighty Functions

BY CHRIS PALMER

3 comments

 Credit: Zvonimir Dogic, Brandeis University.

Quote

Imagine an army of tiny soldiers stationed throughout your body, lining cells from your brain to every major organ system. Rather than standing at attention, this tiny force sweeps back and forth thousands of times a minute. Their synchronized action helps move debris along the ranks to the nearest opening. Other soldiers stand as sentries, detecting changes in your environment, relaying that information to your brain, and boosting your senses of taste, smell, sight, and hearing.

Quote

Your brain may be the commander in chief, but these rank-and-file soldiers are made up of microscopic cell structures called cilia (cilium in singular). https://biobeat.nigms.nih.gov/2019/07/cilia-tiny-cell-structures-with-mighty-functions/

And the dynamic control mechanism that runs the response system is the microtubule network 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by write4u

[MianNholst]

Never knew that.