abnormal Hensen stripe morphology absent Hensen stripe absence of the dark, nonstriated, V-shaped band (ridge) that is normally found on the underside of the tectorial membrane (TM) in the basal region of the cochlea, from which fine gelatinous trabeculae extend to fix the TM to the border cells, i.e. cells directly adjacent to the inner phalangeal cells MP:0013962 absent Hensen's stripe