Ultracytochemical study of Ouabain-sensitive, potassium-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity in the inner ear of the squirrel monkey.

The localization of ouabain-sensitive, K(+)-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase (K(+)-NPPase) activity of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase complex was studied ultracytochemically in the squirrel monkey inner ear. In the stria vascularis the reaction products showing K(+)-NPPase activity were limited to the cytoplasmic side of the plasmalemmal infoldings of the marginal cells. In the spiral prominence, a weak reaction was also found on the cytoplasmic process of the stromal cell, while no or little reaction was detected on the spiral prominence epithelium. In the dark cells of vestibular labyrinth the reaction products were observed on the basolateral interdigitation of the plasmalemma. In contrast, no reaction was observed on the apical cell surface. K(+)-NPPase activity was most intense in the strial marginal cell, followed by the dark cell of the ampulla and the utricle. The present results revealed that the dark cells in the vestibular labyrinth are involved in endolymph homeostasis.