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Strial Dysfunction in a Melanocyte Deficient Mutant Rat ( Ws/Ws Rat)

1994; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 114; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3109/00016489409126038

1651-2251

Ken Kitamura, Masafumi Sakagami, Masanori Umemoto, Noriaki Takeda, Katsumi Doi, Tsutomu Kasugai, Yukihiko Kitamura,

Ion Channels and Receptors

A homozygous mutant rat at the white spotting (Ws) locus showing a deficiency of melanocytes has recently been found (4, 5). The function and morphology of the inner ear of the Ws/Ws rat were examined by auditory brainstem response (ABR), endocochlear DC potential (EP), and electron microscopy. The mean ABR threshold of the Ws/Ws rat was significantly higher than that of the control +/+ rat. Most Ws/Ws rats showed no or very little EP. In electron microscopy, the stria vascularis of the Ws/Ws rat proved to be very thin and flat with poor interdigitation of marginal cells, and absence of intermediate cells. The organ of Corti appeared to be intact in both the +/+ rat and the Ws/Ws rat. These electrophysiological and morphological findings suggest that the Ws/Ws rat suffered from severe hearing loss caused by strial dysfunction.