title: Two different secretion mechanisms in the inner ear's interdental cells.
abstract: Fixation with a mixture of tannic acid and glutaraldehyde reveals a darkly stained substance in the intercellular clefts between juxtapposed interdental cells, where it is included by pynocytotic vesicles. Over the interdental cells, similar-sized vesicles (35-45 nm) are present in clear spaces of the amorphous layer of the limbal portion of the tectorial membrane. Some images suggest that they may be secreted through small disruptions of the membrane of the interdental cells' microvilli. In addition, a TA-unstained, amorphous material is present inside both basal ducts and apical cavities of the interdental cells, thus suggesting another secretory route from the basal region of the interdental cells towards either the endolymph, or the tectorial membrane. These two secretion processes coexist in a single interdental complex, and the two secretion products may be involved in the turnover of the adult tectorial membrane and/or the secretion of some component of the endolymph.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rueda
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Merchan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003051:Cochlea / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005110:Extracellular Space; D005404:Fixatives; D005976:Glutaral; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008871:Microvilli / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D005404:Fixatives; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins; D005976:Glutaral