External ear: auricle

Thin skin covers the auricle and though not well shown here, is thicker posteriorly than anteriorly. Fine hairs are present on both surfaces. With aging, especially in men, large stiff hairs may develop around the entrance to the auditory meatus and at the posterior edge of the auricle. Sebaceous glands associated with hair follicles may be of considerable size.

Thin skin covers the auricle and though not well shown here, is thicker posteriorly than anteriorly. Fine hairs are present on both surfaces. With aging, especially in men, large stiff hairs may develop around the entrance to the auditory meatus and at the posterior edge of the auricle. Sebaceous glands associated with hair follicles may be of considerable size.

Thin skin covers the auricle and though not well shown here, is thicker posteriorly than anteriorly. Fine hairs are present on both surfaces. With aging, especially in men, large stiff hairs may develop around the entrance to the auditory meatus and at the posterior edge of the auricle. Sebaceous glands associated with hair follicles may be of considerable size.

The framework for the auricle consists of a single, irregularly shaped, elastic cartilage. The trichrome stain used on this section highlights the elastic fibers in the cartilage. A prominent perichondrium surrounds the cartilage.

The framework for the auricle consists of a single, irregularly shaped, elastic cartilage. The trichrome stain used on this section highlights the elastic fibers in the cartilage. A prominent perichondrium surrounds the cartilage.

Several small auricular muscles are present. The ability to move the auricle of the external ear by contraction of auricular muscles is critical to the survival of many animal species. Little such function is present in the human although the shape of the human auricle does aid sound localization in the vertical plane (above and below).

This image was taken of a slide in the Drexel University collection.