Goycoolea M V, Carpenter A M, Muchow D
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1987 Jun;113(6):617-24. doi: 10.1001/archotol.1987.01860060043013.
An ultrastructural study of eight round-window membranes of four normal cats disclosed three basic layers: an outer epithelium (middle ear), a middle core of connective tissue, and an inner epithelium (inner ear). Morphologic evidence suggests that these layers participate in absorption and secretion of substances to and from the inner ear, such that the entire membrane could play a role in an inner ear "defense system." A comparison of morphologic features of round-window membranes from cats, rodents, and human beings suggests that the cat is a superior animal model for experimental studies. Cationic ferritin, placed for two hours in the round-window niche of four normal cats, was observed to traverse the round-window membrane through pinocytotic vesicles into the connective tissue layer. Evidence of exocytosis of tracer by the inner epithelial layer into the scala tympani is presented. When placed in perilymph, this same tracer was incorporated by inner epithelial cells, suggesting absorptive capabilities of the round-window membrane.
对4只正常猫的8个圆窗膜进行的超微结构研究发现了三个基本层：外层上皮（中耳）、中间的结缔组织核心层和内层上皮（内耳）。形态学证据表明，这些层参与了内耳物质的吸收和分泌，因此整个膜可能在内耳“防御系统”中发挥作用。对猫、啮齿动物和人类圆窗膜形态学特征的比较表明，猫是实验研究的理想动物模型。将阳离子铁蛋白置于4只正常猫的圆窗龛中两小时后，观察到其通过胞饮小泡穿过圆窗膜进入结缔组织层。文中还展示了示踪剂通过内耳上皮层向鼓阶进行胞吐作用的证据。当置于外淋巴中时，相同的示踪剂被内耳上皮细胞摄取，这表明圆窗膜具有吸收能力。
