0000000000347792
AUTHOR
W. Kreutz
Localization of Ca(2+)-stores and tissue compartments with a Ca(2+)-binding capacity in the organ of Corti of the guinea-pig by electron energy-loss spectroscopy.
SUMMARY The addition of 10 mM CaCl2 to glutaraldehyde fixative leads to the formation of small electron-dense deposits in the organ of Corti of the guinea-pig. These precipitates are mainly attached to cell membranes in contact with different extracellular lymphatic fluids. A higher number of precipitates is localized in the acellular parts of tectorial and basilar membrane. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) was used to determine the elemental composition of the deposits formed. The spectra showed a prominent signal at the Ca2+ L2,3 ionization edge. Oxygen could also be detected in all the precipitates analysed. EELS analysis of mitochondria of the inner and outer hair cells after co…
Progress in electron microscopic diagnostics: semi-quantitative determination of precipitable calcium in different cell types of the organ of Corti in the guinea-pig
Potassium antimonate was used to precipitate calcium in the cochlea of the guinea-pig. The distribution of the calcium antimonate precipitates was analysed by electron microscopy. The precipitate density was determined in different cell types in the organ of Corti by counting the number of calcium binding sites in a 10-micron 2 area. The size of the precipitates varied considerably, and thus the relative amount of the precipitable calcium was estimated only semi-quantitatively. As the prominent carbon signal is superimposed over the nearby small Ca(2+)-edge signals, the combined signal of the antimony M4,5-edge and the oxygen K-edge of the calcium antimonate salt formed was chosen for the s…