Three-dimensional analysis of morphological aspects of the human saccular macula

The 3-dimensional shape of the human saccular macula and its orientation in the skull were quantitated in this study. The semicircular canals and sacc ular maculae were reconstructed 3-dimensionally on a computer from 3 human temporal bones. The 380 to 522 triangles in the entire area of the saccular macula were made by drawing lines between 2 adjacent points every 100-mum width of the saccular macula in each section. The angles between each trian gle and each estimated standard axis in the skull obtained were calculated. This information will provide standard data regarding the 3-dimensional mo rphological aspects of the saccular macula for further investigations of th e function of the sacculus. It was determined that the 3-dimensional shape of the saccular macula was not a plane, but was a curved surface like that of an ellipsoid. It is thought that this shape is necessary in order for th e saccular macula to detect wide-range linear acceleration.