ANIONIC SITES OF CHARGE BARRIER IN THE GUINEA-PIG CRISTA-AMPULLARIS

In present studies we obtained anionic sites in the epithelial and cap illary basement membranes in the dark cell area of the crista ampullar is in the guinea pig. The immersion method with cationic tracer polyet hyleneimine (PEI) was applied. Electronmicroscopically, the arrangemen t of PEI particles was observed as two strata along the basement membr ane. The number of particles could be counted and compared in each por tion. The control test with protamine sulfate showed that the number o f PEI particles decreased in both the epithelium and capillaries of th e dark cell area. In the experiment using furosemide, the stria vascul aris and the dark cells had changed, with pathological findings of int erstitial edema and PEI particles reduced in number. It is suggested t hat the PEI particles reflect different conditions of charge in the ba sement membrane, which influences the production or absorption of the inner ear fluid.