<Tr> <Th> FMA </Th> <Td> 61113 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Anatomical terminology (edit on Wikidata) </Td> </Tr> <P> The utricle, or utriculus (Latin: utriculus, diminutive of uter, meaning "leather bag"), along with the saccule, is one of the two otolith organs located in the vertebrate inner ear . The utricle and the saccule are parts of the balancing apparatus (membranous labyrinth) located within the vestibule of the bony labyrinth (small oval chamber). These use small stones and a viscous fluid to stimulate hair cells to detect motion and orientation . The utricle detects linear accelerations and head - tilts in the horizontal plane . </P> <P> The utricle is larger than the saccule and is of an oblong form, compressed transversely, and occupies the upper and back part of the vestibule, lying in contact with the recessus ellipticus and the part below it . The macula of utricle is a thickening in the wall of the utricle where the epithelium contains vestibular hair cells that allows a person to perceive changes in longitudinal acceleration as well as effects of gravity . </P>

The major function of the utricle and saccule in the vestibule is