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Microvascularization Of The Pleura In Rats And Guinea Pigs, S. Aharinejad, A. Lametschwandtner, P. Böck, P. Franz

Scanning Microscopy

The microvascularization of the visceral and parietal pleura was studied in rats and guinea pigs using vascular corrosion casts and scanning electron microscopy.

The visceral pleura was shown to be devoid of a vascular bed of its own. The capillary meshwork observed on the surface of the lung belongs to the pulmonary parenchyma. The parietal pleura, by contrast, possesses its own capillary network with an appropriate arterial supply and a venous drainage. The parietal pleural capillaries cover the costal regions completely, whereas the intercostal spaces are only provided by interspersed small patches of capillaries. That the feeding arteries of the …

The Effect Of Bacterial Endotoxin Upon The Morphology Of The Tectorial Membrane And Stereocilia In The Guinea Pig Cochlea, S. D. Comis, M. P. Osborne, M. J. Tarlow

Scanning Microscopy

Endotoxin of E coli was microperfused into scala tympani or injected into the cerebrospinal fluid in anaesthetised pigmented guinea pigs. The effects of endotoxin on the cochlea were studied using electrophysiological techniques and scanning electron microscopy. We found a drop in the amplitude of the cochlear microphonics and compound action potentials 2 to 2.5 hours after injection. There were also changes in the morphology of stereocilia and the tectorial membrane. The stereocilia lost their rigidity and the tectorial membrane appeared swollen. These effects were less severe in animals which were pretreated with dexamethasone.

Three Dimensional Intracellular Structure Of The Cochlea Using The A-O-D-O Method, A. Nagasawa, R. V. Harrison, R. J. Mount, Y. Harada

Scanning Microscopy

We have observed the three-dimensional intracellular structure of the organ of Corti and the spiral ganglion of the chinchilla using the aldehyde osmium-DMSO-osmium (A-O-D-O) method, and compared our findings with previous studies in the guinea pig. In cells of the spiral ganglion and the organ of Corti, microtubules and other cytoplasmic filaments were digested by OsO₄ during processing to provide a clear view of membranous structures such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. The appropriate digestion time with 0.1% OsO₄ solution was found to be 60-80 hrs for the organ of Corti and 70-90 hrs for the …

Preparation Of Inner Ear Sensory Hair Bundles For High Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy, M. P. Osborne, S. D. Comis

Scanning Microscopy

Chemical fixation techniques for preservation of sensory hair bundles in the mammalian inner ear for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are reviewed. Fixatives employed were glutaraldehyde, glutaraldehyde-picrate, glutaraldehyde-tannic acid, glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde followed by postfixation with osmium tetroxide and the osmium thiocarbohydrazide (OTOTO) method. Dehydration was routinely accomplished with ascending grades of acetone followed by critical point drying with liquid CO₂ or fluorocarbon sublimation. Specimens other than those prepared by the OTOTO method were metal coated with gold, gold-palladium or platinum. Material was viewed at high resolution (2-3 nm) in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) fitted with a scanning system and …