FUNCTIONAL CYTO- AND HISTOCHEMISTRY 

 OF CORTI'S ORGAN 



J. A. VINNIKOV 



Laboratory of evolutionary Morphology, I. M. Setchenov 

 Institate of Evolutionary Physiology, Ac. of Sci., USSR 



Localization of a number of chemically active substances in receptor 

 hair ce Ils, both resting and under conditions of auditory influence (the 

 application of the sound of defiuite frequency and intensity 200—2000 

 cycles per second, 95 décibels) was studied with the help of vital isola- 

 tion of cochlea and Corti's organ. 



The hair cells contain granular glicogen (which under the action of 

 Sound be cornes diffusive) and phosphorylase, which changes its activity. 



The ferments of oxydative cycle— succindehydrase and cytochromoxida- 

 se are localized in mitochondria of hair cells. 



The ferment activity increases under the auditory influence, while 

 mitochondria redistribute and swell. 



The distribution of nucleic acids, summarized protein, SH and COOH 

 groups is regularly changed under the action of the sound. 



The présence of acetylcholinesterase as well as the nature of its 

 distribution in receptor hair cells and in the région of spiral ganglion 

 nerve terminations were established. The ferment activiti is changed 

 under the auditory influence. 



Thus, both aerobe and anaerobe metabolism, complex protein pro- 

 cesses and acetylcholine break during impulse transmission underlie the 

 stimulation of Corti's organ. 



The specificity of excitation is evidently determined by peculiarities 

 of molecular organization of Corti's organ hair cells. 



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