Structures in the inner ear

Loop-shaped canals in the inner ear contain fluid and fine, hairlike sensors that help with keeping balance. At the base of the canals are the utricle and saccule, each containing a patch of sensory hair cells. Within these cells are tiny particles called otoconia that help monitor the position of the head in relation to gravity and linear motion, such as going up and down in an elevator or moving forward and backward in a car.

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