Comis S D, Pickles J O, Osborne M P
J Neurocytol. 1985 Feb;14(1):113-30. doi: 10.1007/BF01150266.
Guinea-pig cochleae were fixed in glutaraldehyde, followed by short (30 s), intermediate (3 min) or long (24 h) periods of postfixation in 1% osmium tetroxide. The hair cells of the organ of Corti were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Following short periods of postfixation in osmium tetroxide, the preservation of crosslinks between the stereocilia could be enhanced, compared to the picture seen without postfixation. Moreover, in many cases the stereocilia parted slightly, revealing many lateral links between the stereocilia, which were otherwise hidden. The tip of each shorter stereocilium on a hair cell gave rise to a single, vertically pointing link, which ran upwards to the taller stereocilium of the adjacent row on the hair cell. It is suggested that distortion of such links is associated with sensory transduction. An extensive array of lateral links, connecting the stereocilia of the same and different rows on the hair cell, was also seen. In addition, the surface membranes of the stereocilia had a granular appearance. Following intermediate and long periods of postfixation in osmium tetroxide, crosslinks were rarely seen, and the stereocilia had smooth or wavy rather than granular surface membranes. Moreover, the spatial organization of the stereocilia, particularly on inner hair cells, was disrupted. In tissue postfixed for short periods, it was possible to map the directions of the vertically pointing links, and see the three-dimensional arrangement of the stereocilia. It was shown that the V-shape of the rows of stereocilia on outer hair cells, and the straight-line arrangement of the stereocilia on inner hair cells, were both appropriate for a maximal sensitivity of the hair cells to deflection of their stereocilia in a radial direction. It is suggested that the differences in the shape of the rows on inner and outer hair cells are derived from the different packing of the stereocilia on the two types of hair cell.
豚鼠耳蜗用戊二醛固定，随后在1%四氧化锇中进行短时间（30秒）、中等时间（3分钟）或长时间（24小时）的后固定。通过扫描电子显微镜检查柯蒂氏器的毛细胞。与未进行后固定的情况相比，在四氧化锇中进行短时间后固定后，静纤毛之间交联的保存情况可以得到增强。此外，在许多情况下，静纤毛会稍微分开，露出静纤毛之间许多原本隐藏的横向连接。毛细胞上每个较短静纤毛的顶端会产生一个单一的、垂直指向的连接，向上延伸至相邻排较高的静纤毛。有人认为这种连接的扭曲与感觉转导有关。还观察到一系列广泛的横向连接，连接毛细胞上同一排和不同排的静纤毛。此外，静纤毛的表面膜呈颗粒状外观。在四氧化锇中进行中等时间和长时间后固定后，很少能看到交联，静纤毛的表面膜光滑或呈波浪状而非颗粒状。此外，静纤毛的空间组织，尤其是在内毛细胞上，被破坏了。在短时间后固定的组织中，可以绘制垂直指向连接的方向，并观察静纤毛的三维排列。结果表明，外毛细胞上静纤毛排的V形以及内毛细胞上静纤毛的直线排列，都适合毛细胞对其静纤毛在径向方向上的偏转具有最大敏感性。有人认为内毛细胞和外毛细胞上排的形状差异源于两种类型毛细胞上静纤毛的不同排列方式。
