title: Effects of hypergravity on the morphological properties of the vestibular sensory epithelium. I. Long-term exposure of rats after full maturation of the labyrinths.
abstract: The effect of prolonged exposure to hypergravity on the morphology of vestibular epithelia of rats was investigated. At the age of 1 month, i.e., when vestibular end organs are fully maturated, three rats were transferred to a hypergravity environment of 2.5 g inside a large radius centrifuge. After 9 months, vestibular epithelia of these animals and of three control animals were immunohistochemically labeled for actin and tubulin. The apical cross-sectional area of epithelial cells of hypergravity exposed rats appeared to be smaller in all end organs. Area reduction was 1.9% in the saccule (not significant), 5.0% in the utricle (p < 0.005), and 11.6% in the crista (p<<0.001). No indications for a deterioration of vestibular functioning were observed.
authors.affiliation: Vestibular Department ENT, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O.Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. r.j.wubbels@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wubbels
authors.forename: H N P M
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Sondag
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Marle
authors.forename: H A A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: de Jong
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D048429:Cell Size / Q000502:physiology; D002923:Cilia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018069:Hair Cells, Vestibular / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018471:Hypergravity / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D014404:Tubulin