Vestibular system

sensory system

tube located inside the ear

physiological sense related to balance

thumb|right|alt=|Drawing of the statocyst system thumb|Statocysts (ss) and statolith (sl) inside the head of sea snail Gigantopelta chessoia

The saccule (Latin: sacculus) is a bed of sensory cells in the inner ear that detects linear acceleration and head tilting in the vertical plane, and converts these vibrations into electrical impulses to be interpreted by the brain. When the head accelerates vertically, the sensory cells of the saccule are moved due to a combination of inertia and gravity. In response, the neurons connected to the saccule transmit electrical impulses that represent this movement to the brain. These impulses travel along the vestibulocochlear nerve (CNVIII) to the vestibular nuclei in the brainstem.

membranous labyrinth in the vestibule of ear

branch of the vestibulocochlear nerve

ganglion of the vestibular nerve

part of the ear's vestibule

A kinocilium is a special type of cilium on the apex of hair cells located in the sensory epithelium of the vertebrate inner ear. Contrasting with stereocilia, which are numerous, there is only one kinocilium on each hair cell. The kinocilium can be identified by its apical position as well as its enlarged tip.