What is Stereocilia?
The Stereocilia are found in the inner ear, to detect movement. The epidermis and the ductus difference in the male reproductive system don’t have cilia, they have stereocilia. Stereocilia are stationary and serve only to increase the surface area of absorption in the epidydmis and vas deferens.
Stereocilia are quite long compared with the finger-like projections of microvilli. Columnar cells, also known as principal cells, have stereocilia. Stereocilia, like microvilli, features an inner core of actin filaments, but the distinction between the two is their extraordinary length. The length of the stereocilia is nearly equivalent to the length of the nucleus of the main cells.
Difference between Cilia, Stereocilia and Microvilli
The difference between cilia, stereocilia, and microvilli is slight and we can observe it by knowing their structure and the place where they exist. These are hair-like microscopic structures that exist in the human body. Cilia are made of microtubules, while stereocilia and microvilli are made of actin filaments. The shortest is microvilli, intermediate height will be the cilia and the tallest will be stereocilia. Moreover, if we compare the stereocilia with the cilia they don’t have any central mechanism for movement. They are immobile and they do not have any microtubules what they have is only microfilaments like actin filaments.
Table of Content
- What is Cilia?
- What is Stereocilia?
- What is Microvilli?
- Difference between Cilia, Stereocilia, and Microvilli
- FAQs on Cilia, Stereocilia and Microvilli