A study of the orientation of the sensory hairs of the receptor cells in the lateral line organ of fish, with special reference to the function of the receptors.

The morphology of the hair bundles on top of the receptor cells in the lateral line organ of the teleost fish Lota vulgaris is described. Each receptor cell shows a distinct morphological polarization. Two groups of receptor cells can be distingiushed, one consisting of cells polarized towards the head, the other consisting of cells polarized towards the tail. In the crista ampullaris all cells are polarized in the same direction. An hypothesis is proposed for the function of the receptor cells in the lateral line organ and the labyrinth based on a correlation of morphological and functional polarization.