How do hair cells in the organ of Corti turn vibrations into nerve impulses?

The organ of Corti converts mechanical sound vibrations into nerve impulses through a process of transduction involving the movement of the basilar membrane.

When sound waves cause the basilar membrane to vibrate, the reticular lamina moves, creating shearing forces between it and the tectorial membrane. This force displaces the stereocilia located at the top of the hair cells.1

The transduction process functions as follows:
* Depolarization: When stereocilia are bent toward their longest side, ion channels open, allowing potassium ions to flow into the cell. This influx depolarizes the hair cell.1
* Hyperpolarization: When deflected in the opposite direction, the channels close, inhibiting or hyperpolarizing the cell.1
* Signal Transmission: The depolarization triggers the release of neurotransmitters from the base of the hair cell. These chemicals are absorbed by the nerve fibres of the cochlear nerve, which then transmit the electrical signal to the brain.12