Mechanism of the production of the negative endocochlear DC potential in the guinea pig.

Changes in endocochlear DC potential (EP) and potassium ion concentrations in endolymph were measured simultaneously during anoxia or during perfusion of the perilymphatic space with furosemide, 10(-2)M, in normal and kanamycin-deafened guinea pigs. The potassium ion conductance (Gk) through the cochlear partitions was calculated. Thirty minutes after the onset of anoxia, the Gk is 22.1 microM/min/mV in normal guinea pigs and 4.8 microM/min/mV in kanamycin-deafened guinea pigs. At that time the EP is -29.5 mV in normal guinea pigs and 1.4 mV in kanamycin-deafened guinea pigs. In the early stage of anoxia the rate of potassium ion concentration decrease in the endolymph per unit time is greater in normal guinea pigs than in kanamycin-deafened guinea pigs. These results suggest a rapid increase in the permeability of potassium ions in the organ of Corti in the early stage of anoxia might produce a large negative potassium ion diffusion potential or negative EP in normal guinea pigs and the failure to develop the negative EP in kanamycin-deafened guinea pigs might be due to the lack of such a rapid increase in the permeability because of the loss of the hair cells.