Hentzer E
Acta Otolaryngol Suppl. 1984;414:19-27.
Light- and electron microscopic studies of recent years have definitely concluded that the epithelium of the middle ear is a modified respiratory epithelium with ciliated and secretory cells including goblet cells. Goblet cells are secretory cells completely filled with secretory granules. Secretory cells and ciliated cells are both derived from the basal cell. The subepithelial layer which consists of loose connective tissue is a structure of just as great importance as the epithelial layer. It is still not clear whether the dark granulated cell is the site of production of the serous middle ear effusion or whether it merely represents an immature stage of the mucigen-producing cell.
近年来的光学显微镜和电子显微镜研究明确得出结论，中耳的上皮是一种经过修饰的呼吸上皮，含有纤毛细胞和包括杯状细胞在内的分泌细胞。杯状细胞是完全充满分泌颗粒的分泌细胞。分泌细胞和纤毛细胞均源自基底细胞。由疏松结缔组织构成的上皮下层与上皮层一样重要。目前尚不清楚深色颗粒细胞是浆液性中耳积液的产生部位，还是仅仅代表黏液生成细胞的未成熟阶段。
