Die Feinstrukturdarstellung des Corti-Organs des Meerschweinchens nach Silberkontrastierung

Summary

The study is concerned with the electron microscopic silver staining of the guinea pig organ of Corti. Cochleas of guinea pigs were fixed with 1.5% glutaraldehyde-paraformaldehyde and embedded in araldite. Ultrathin sections previously incubated with thiocarbohydrazide were stained with a solution of Protargol. This silver proteinate reaction resulted in a fine granular impregnation by metallic silver, not restricting the electron microscopic resolution severely. Advantageously the silver staining may be checked light microscopically, and this gives access to a direct correlation between light and electron microscopic findings.

Several constituents of the cells of the organ of Corti were stained with different intensity by this method. The most intense staining has been seen at the plasmalemma, nuclear membrane, lysosomes, Golgi apparatus, and mitochondria. The basal cell membrane of supporting cells and the plasmalemma of tympanal lining cells reacted discontinously. A moderate staining was found at filaments and in the ground substance of the basilar membrane.

Insufficient knowledge of groups active in this method inhibits a precise histochemical interpretation of the silver staining.

Zusammenfassung

Es wurde die Silberkontrastierung des Corti-Organs des Meerschweinchens mittels Thiosemicarbohydracid-Protargol-Reaktion untersucht. Die Versilberung erfolgte am Ultradünnschnitt mit Araldit-eingebetteten Cochleae. Unter den beschriebenen Versuchsbedingungen konnte eine feingranuläre Silberimprägnation erzielt werden, die ein für die Beurteilung der submikroskopischen Strukturen ausreichendes optisches Auflösungsvermögen erreichen läßt. Die Versilberung fiel an den verschiedenen Zellelementen unterschiedlich intensiv aus, am stärksten waren das Plasmalemm, Lysosomen, Golgi-Apparat, Kernmembranen und Mitochondrien imprägniert.