Ultrahistochemical demonstration of cations in the guinea pig organ of Corti.

The distribution of cations in the guinea pig organ of CORTI was studied by means of the ultrahistochemical pyroantimonate method. In the outer hair cells precipitates were localized at the cell membrane, at stereocilia, in the subplasmalemmal cisterns, in the the nucleus, in mitochondria and within the ground plasm. Coarse precipitates at the cell membrane may consist mainly of cations other than calcium ions. The subplasmalemmal cisterns are suggested to sequester cations in the outer hair cells. The mechanism of the trapping reaction and factors injuring this histochemical method are discussed.