Hensen's cell

Hensen's cells are a layer of tall supporting cells around the outer hair cells (OHC) in the organ of Corti in the cochlea. Their appearance are upper part wide with lower part narrow, column like cells. One significant morphologic feature of Hensen's cells is the lipid droplets, which are most noticeable at the third and forth turns of the cochlear, the lipid droplets are thought to have association with the auditory process because they are parallel to the innervation. One significant structure found among the Hensen's cells and the hair cells are the gap junctions, which are made of connexins which serve important functions in distribution and connection between cells; the gap junctions enable long distance electrical communication.

Hensen's cells are critical in many functions; they act as mediators of ion metabolism, the K+ spatial buffering pathway, and neuron innervation; and the purinergic receptors found in the Hensen's cells are important in providing a suitable electrical and micro-mechanical environment to support hair cells and to maintain homeostasis of the Organ of Corti. Furthermore, Hensen's cells are also able to regenerate the damaged hair cells in some vertebrates; they undergo phagocytosis to eject the dead or injured hair cells, and reproduce both new hair cells and supporting cells into the cell cycle. One of the reasons is that the supporting cells are differentiated by the embryonic hair cells, but why the regeneration function is not found in mammals' cells remain unclear. Hensen's cells are currently being investigated to be promising targets for gene therapy and regenerative medicine.

Hensen's cells are named after German anatomist and physiologist, Victor Hensen (1835–1924).