Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Reciprocal synapses have been found between nerve terminals and the outer hair cells in the human organ of Corti. A single nerve ending of the nonvesiculated type may possess two types of synaptic specialization of opposite polarity. The first is typical of the “afferent” synapse with a presynaptic body in the hair cell and pre- and postsynaptic membrane thickening. The second consists of a small collection of presynaptic vesicles in the neural cytoplasm near the plasma membrane facing the hair cell and a subsynaptic cisterna within the hair cell cytoplasm. The second type of specialization is similar to the synapses seen in “efferent” endings. This suggests that both an afferent (hair cell to neuron) and efferent (neuron to hair cell) synaptic relationship may exist between an outer hair cell and a single nerve terminal.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Engstrom

. On the double innervation of the sensory epithelia of the inner ear. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 1958; 49: 109–18.

Smith

Sjostrand

. Structure of the nerve endings on the external hair cells of the guinea pig cochlea as studied by serial sections. J Ultrastruct Res 1961; 5: 523–56.

Kimura

Wersall

. Termination of the olivocochlear bundle in relation to the outer hair cells of the organ of Corti in guinea pig. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 1962; 55: 11–32.

Smith

Rasmussen

. Recent observations on the olivocochlear bundle. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1963; 72: 489–506.

Kimura

. The ultrastructure of the organ of Corti. Int Rev Cytol 1975; 42: 173–222.

Rasmussen

. Further observations of efferent cochlear bundle. J Comp Neurol 1953; 99: 61–74.

Spoendlin

Gacek

. Electronmicroscopic study of the efferent and afferent innervation of the organ of Corti in the cat. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1963; 72: 660–86.

Nadol

Jr . Electron microscopic observations in a case of long-standing profound sensorineural deafness. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1977; 86: 507–17.

Wersall

Kimura

Lundquist

P-G

. Early postmortem changes in the organ of Corti (guinea pig). Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat 1965; 65: 220–37.

10.

Andres

. Der Feinbau des Bulbus olfactorius der Ratte unter besonderer Berucksichtigung der synaptischen Verbindungen. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat 1965; 65: 530–61.

11.

Famiglietti

Jr . Dendro-dendritic synapses in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Brain Res 1970; 20: 181–91.

12.

Yamauchi

Fujimaki

Yokota

. Reciprocal synapses between cholinergic postganglionic axon and adrenergic interneuron in the cardiac ganglion of the turtle. J Ultrastruct Res 1975; 50: 47–57.

13.

Dowling

Boycott

. Organization of the primate retina: electron microscopy. Proc R Soc Lond [Biol] 1966; 166: 80–111.

14.

McDonald

Mitchell

. The innervation of glomus cells, ganglion cells and blood vessels in the rat carotid body: a quantitative ultrastructural study. J Neurocytol 1975; 4: 177–230.

15.

Dunn

. Reciprocal synapses in the crista ampullaris of the bullfrog, abstracted. Neuroscience 1975; 1: 221.

16.

Dunn

. Reciprocal synapses in the crista ampullaris: a possible mechanism for hair cell interaction. ORL 1976; 82: 188–9.

17.

Tanaka

Smith

. Structure of the chicken's inner ear: SEM and TEM study. Am J Anat 1978; 153: 251–72.

18.

Thorn

Schinko

Wetzstein

. Synaptic bar in the efferent part of a synapse in the organ of Corti. Experientia 1972; 28: 835.

Reciprocal Synapses at the Base of Outer Hair Cells in the Organ of Corti of Man

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References