The transversal modes of the tectorial membrane free vibrations and the origin of the outer hair cells oscillations

The tectorial membrane of the mammalian inner ear is considered as a system of weakly bent beams, and modelled with a flat long anisotropic plate with one supported and the other free long edges. The major crosssectional eigenfunction of such a plate is found to have a node near the free edge. SOJ the marginal strip of the vibrating plate moves in counterphase with the last part of the plate body. In result, the outer hair cells connecting the tectorial membrane marginal strip to the basilar membrane experience the altering compressive and stretching forces. Thus, the oscillations of the outer hair cells are seen as a simply forced “passive” mechanical movement. The resonator properties of the outer hair cells are taken into account. The results allow to explain a great deal of the various experimental data in a simple and natural way, free of the negative dumping necessity. Bibliography: 24 titles.