Stria vascularis

Stria vascularis Blood EP supply Hair cells Supporting cells Nerve supply Molecular mechanisms Screens... 

Offher FF, Dallos P, Cheatham MA. 1987. Positive endocochlear potential Mechanism of production by marginal cells of stria vascularis. Hear Res 29 117-124. 

Aminoglycosides or etacrynic acid alone can damage the ear and cause deafness, the site of action of the aminoglycosides being the hair cell and that of etacrynic acid the stria vascularis. Other loop diuretics can similarly damage hearing. 

Data suggests that loop diuretics cause toxicity within the stria vascularis, the structure which provides blood flow to the cochlea (Forge and Brown 1982 Rybak et al. 1991). The stria vascularis contains Na-K-ATPases which maintain the high K content of the endolymph and the positive endocochlear potential in the scala media (Ikeda and Morizono 1989 Ikeda et al. 1997). It has been proposed that the damage to the stria vascularis causes a reduction in the endocochlear potential which then results in hair cell dysfunction (Comis et al. 1990). 

Ikeda K, Morizono T (1989) Electrochemical profiles for monovalent ions in the stria vascularis cellular model of ion transport mechanisms. Hear Res 39(3) 279-286. doi 10.1016/0378-5955 (89)90047-6... 

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