title: Stereo-kinociliar bonds in mammalian vestibular organs.
abstract: The ultrastructure of the apical end of the hair bundle of the vestibular hair cell in the guinea pig was studied by transmission electron microscopy using osmium and aldehyde-osmium fixed specimens. Stereo-kinociliar bonds were a regular finding in both cristae and maculae. The bond unit consisted of two parts: extracellular, interciliar filaments of macromolecular size and an intracellular structure, bound to the plasma membrane within the kinocilia. In the cristae, the stereo-kinociliar bonding was usually effected by only one bond unit between a single stereocilium and the kinocilium; in the maculae the units were generally paired and several stereocilia were coupled to each kinocilium.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002923:Cilia / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000648:ultrastructure*