前庭器官超微结构研究及结构图构建

Study on the ultrastructure of the vestibular organs and construction of structural diagrams

目的通过扫描电镜观察小鼠椭圆囊、球囊、壶腹超微结构,研究分析并据此构建前庭器官新的结构示意图。方法选取3个年龄段小白鼠各10只,分别是年轻组≤2个月、中年组2~12个月、老龄组>12个月。分离出椭圆囊、球囊、壶腹,采用扫描电镜技术样品制备方法制备样品,应用扫描电镜进行样品观察。结果扫描电镜下可以得到:①椭圆囊斑及球囊斑不同层面图片:表面为堆积并相互黏附的"表面耳石",表面耳石下是无结构胶状质;底层表面耳石深入到无结构胶质层里;无结构胶质层下面是毛细胞纤毛及"纤毛间耳石"层,不同纤毛束之间均有纤毛间耳石存在,立于支持细胞表面,表面平坦;蜂窝状胶质物质联接无结构胶质层、纤毛间耳石及毛细胞纤毛。②壶腹超微结构的图片:嵴帽是无结构的胶状质与壶腹外侧壁紧贴,但较易分离,嵴帽和壶腹外侧壁之间有纤细的晶状体物质,在壶腹嵴两侧壁上也有纤细晶体物质(壶腹嵴表面耳石);不同的毛细胞纤毛之间有耳石结构的存在(壶腹嵴纤毛间耳石)。结论通过对前庭器官扫描电镜的观察,发现了椭圆、球囊斑及壶腹的新结构成分,由此构建出新的前庭器官超微结构示意图。

Objective To observe the ultrastructure of the utricle, saccule, and ampulla in mice using scanning electron microscopy(SEM), analyze the significance of these structures, and construct a new schematic diagram of the vestibular organs. Methods Ten mice from each of the following age groups were recruited: young mice ≤ 2 months, 2 months < middle-aged mice ≤12 months, and aged mice >12 months. The utricle, saccule, and ampulla were harvested, and samples were prepared using the previously described method for SEM samples. Subsequently, samples were observed using Hitachi S-4800 SEM. Results 1) Different layers of the utricular macula and saccular macula were imaged using SEM. The macular surface showed "surface otolith," which was accumulated and adhered together. There was an unstructured gelatinous substance under the surface otolith. The surface otoliths on the bottom penetrated into the unstructured gelatinous layer. Below the unstructured gelatinous layer was the hair cell cilia and "interciliary otolith" layer. There were interciliary otoliths between different cilium bundles, which stood on the flat surfaces of the supporting cells. The honeycomb gelatinous substance was connected to the unstructured gelatinous layer, interciliary otoliths, and hair cell cilia. 2) The ultrastructure of the ampulla was imaged using SEM. The cupula, an unstructured gelatinous substance, adhered to the lateral wall of the ampulla but was easy to separate. There were fine crystalline substances between the cupula and the lateral wall of the ampulla and on the walls of both sides of the ampulla crista(surface otolith of the ampulla crista). There were otolith structures between the cilia of different hair cells of the ampulla crista(interciliary otolith of the ampulla crista). Conclusion SEM of the vestibular organs revealed new structural components of the utricle, saccule, and ampulla, and we may be able to construct new ultrastructural diagrams of the vestibular organs.