Effects of hypergravity on the morphological properties of the vestibular sensory epithelium. I. Long-term exposure of rats after full maturation of the labyrinths.
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.
Wubbels
R J
RJ
Vestibular Department ENT, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, P.O.Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. r.j.wubbels@amc.uva.nl
Sondag
H N P M
HN
van Marle
J
J
de Jong
H A A
HA
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*
D000199:Actins; D014404:Tubulin