[Ultrastructure of the tegmentum vasculosum of the chicken cochlea].

Ultrastructural studies have been made on the dark and light cells, as well as on their interconnections with capillaries in the tegmentum vasculosum of the chick cochlea. The dark cells exhibit ultrastructural peculiarities which are typical for ion transporting cells: their lower part is presented by a system of numerous cytoplasmic projections filled with mitochondria. The role of the light cells is less evident. It is suggested that they may control the exchange of ions and other metabolites between the dark cells and capillaries. Significant ultrastructural differences are described between the tegmentum vasculosum in chicks and the stria vascularis in mammals.