Structure and function of the elastic fiber of the frog tympanic membrane: a multi-scale study

The ear is a complex biomechanical system dedicated to sound perception, even though part of the auditory function is in the central nervous system. The coupling between the two middle ear cavities has an effect on the directivity of the eardrum, which acts as a pressure difference sensor. We aim at identifying and quantifying in detail the tympanum structures related to sound perception. This includes the cartilaginous link between the tympanic membrane, the tympanic ring and stapes, the layer of membrane, and the collagen fiber distribution and muscular cells. We will use propagation based nano holotomography as a basis for the construction of a high-resolution three-dimensional dataset. Such 3D models and comparisons between data obtained for 10 samples of species varying in their frequency response should enable the understanding of the biomechanical basis of hearing very high frequency sounds.