Campos A, Crespo P V, García J M, Sánchez-Quevedo M C, Ciges M
Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain.
Acta Otolaryngol. 1999 Mar;119(2):203-6. doi: 10.1080/00016489950181675.
Quantitative electron probe microanalysis and electron spectroscopic diffraction analysis was used to determine the gradient of distribution of calcium and its crystalline pattern at different levels (lower gelatinous membrane, upper gelatinous membrane and otoliths) in the otoconial membrane of adult OF1 mice. Our quantitative electron probe microanalytical data, obtained with scanning-transmission electron microscopy, indicated that there was a gradient in calcium concentration which increased from the vestibular surface towards the otoliths. Differences between the three regions of the otoconial membrane were statistically significant in both the utricle and saccule. Our results with electron spectroscopic diffraction revealed an increasing crystalline development from the lower gelatinous membrane towards the otoliths. Our findings with both techniques suggest that the gelatinous membrane is involved in the maturation and crystallization of the otoliths.
采用定量电子探针显微分析和电子光谱衍射分析，来确定成年OF1小鼠耳石膜不同水平（下凝胶膜、上凝胶膜和耳石）处钙的分布梯度及其晶体模式。我们通过扫描透射电子显微镜获得的定量电子探针显微分析数据表明，钙浓度存在梯度，从前庭表面向耳石方向增加。耳石膜三个区域之间的差异在内耳的椭圆囊和球囊中均具有统计学意义。我们的电子光谱衍射结果显示，从下凝胶膜到耳石，晶体发育逐渐增加。我们使用这两种技术的研究结果表明，凝胶膜参与了耳石的成熟和结晶过程。
