Illustration of a single sensory 'hair' cell of the organ of Corti, the sense organ of the cochlea in the human inner ear. The organ of Corti consists of rows of special sensory cells that convert sound signals into nerve impulses that are conducted to the brain via the cochlear nerve. The bundle of hairs (stereocilia) that point upwards from the cell body (at top left) are (in reality) in contact with a covering tectorial membrane. Various cell organelles are shown in the cell body & numerous nerve processes connect with the base of the cell.