title: Accumulation of potassium in scala vestibuli perilymph of the mammalian cochlea.
abstract: Movements of potassium (K+) were monitored during perfusion of either the scala tympani (ST) or the scala vestibuli (SV) of the guinea pig cochlea with a solution containing 15 mmol/LK+. A highly asymmetric clearance of K+ was observed, with K+ rapidly being taken up from the ST and allowed to accumulate in the SV. Under some conditions the SV K+ concentration could exceed that in the perfused ST. These observations are believed to result from the distortion of passive K+ diffusion by the high circulating current of K+ that is part of the transduction process. Calculations are presented to demonstrate that circulating fluxes are of sufficient magnitude to generate the results observed. The high rate of circulating K+ current is probably also responsible for the difference in physiologic K+ concentration between the ST and SV, in which the ST perilymph K+ concentration is typically found to be half that of the SV. A clearance of K+ from the ST and its eventual accumulation in the SV could play a role in how the ear responds to abnormal ion concentrations, such as may occur in Meniere's disease. It is proposed that an accumulation of K+ in the SV would result in vestibular dysfunction that might contribute to the vestibular symptoms of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Washington University Medical School, St Louis, Missouri 63110.
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Salt
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003055:Cochlear Microphonic Potentials; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D010498:Perilymph / Q000378:metabolism*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D012533:Scala Tympani / Q000378:metabolism; D014723:Vestibular Aqueduct / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium