ACUTE HYPERPOLARIZATION AND ELONGATION OF COCHLEAR OUTER HAIR-CELLS ON SUPERFUSION WITH CISPLATINUM

The acute effects of cia-platinum on isolated cochlear outer hair cell s (OHC) were investigated with whole-cell patch-clamps and measurement s of cell length changes. Our findings demonstrated that cis-platinum reversibly induced a hyperpolarization and cellular elongation. These results suggest that the effects produced are the result of an interac tion between cia-platinum and transduction channels in OHC. These acut e effects are distinctly different from the chronic, irreversible ones that are followed by death of the OHC. The exact mechanism of these c hronic effects remains unknown as yet.