TRANSDUCTION STUDIES IN ISOLATED HAIR-CELLS OF THE CHICK COCHLEA

Hair bundles of isolated chick cochlear hair cells were stimulated wit h a water jet while simultaneously whole-cell recording their receptor potentials. Twenty-six cells, half with normal current-voltage curves , exhibited transduction-like signals. To elucidate the nature of the receptor potential changes, amiloride, which blocked transduction in c hick vestibular hair cells, was perfused in the bath. Amiloride blocke d the transduction-like signal in a single hair cell. Three other cell s with abnormal current-voltage curves exhibited transduction-like sig nals but did not respond to amiloride. Though we believe the blockage of currents in the single hair cell by amiloride is convincing evidenc e that the receptor potential changes were due to transduction, possib le alternative mechanisms for the behavior seen are discussed.