title: A fine method of evaluating the physiological function of vestibular hair cells.
abstract: We have established a fine method of evaluating the physiological function of vestibular hair cells. We examined the mechano-electrical transduction (MET) to study the physiological function of a hair cell. Hair cells composing the vestibular maculae were loaded with fura-2 AM, and the Ca2+ responses to the mechanical stimulation of hair bundles were monitored. The vestibular maculae were dissected from 1 to 3-day-old rats and were incubated with fura-2 AM for 30 min. Next, the Ca2+ responses generated through the activation of the MET were studied by the water puff stimulation of hair bundles. In addition, the acute effect of gentamicin was confirmed by this method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. fujino@ent.kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taura
authors.forename: Juichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Harunori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohmori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000633:toxicity; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D010037:Otolithic Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D005839:Gentamicins; D002118:Calcium