Correlations between serum osmolality and endolymphatic sac response using hypertonic glycerol.

Abstract

This study, using mice, correlated serum osmotic pressure, experimentally elevated with an intravenous injection of glycerol of varying tonicity (1.3, 2.6 and 5.2 g glycerol/kg body weight) with endolymphatic sac (ES) response. The injection produced a rise in serum osmotic pressure that was measured after 15 min (from 308 +/- 12.9 mosm/kg b.w. to 320 +/- 1.9, 353 +/- 19.3, 427 +/- 9.4 mosm/kg b.w., respectively). Normal levels were noted about 60 min after the injection. The ES was graphically displayed at 0 min, 1, 2 and 4 h using as a basis composite electron micrographs. The ES responded with signs of active secretion and degradation of macromolecular substances which appeared to be related to the rise in serum osmotic pressure. The study showed that the ES responds to glycerol injection with fine structural changes indicative of increased intra-epithelial synthesis of sugar/protein residues which are secreted and degraded within its lumen. The technique used made it possible to characterize the ultrastructural secretory pathways from the epithelial cells into the sac lumen. The results indicate that the ES may sense and respond to dynamic changes of the micro-osmotic environment probably via alterations in inner ear fluid homeostasis.