Abstract
The purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of endothelin 1 (ET1) production in the cochlea of rats. Animals were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium intraperitoneally and sacrificed by cardiac perfusion with warm saline followed by periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde. The temporal bones and kidneys were fixed overnight in the same fixative, decalcified with 5% EDTA and embedded in paraffin. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using the labeled streptavidin biotin method to detect the localization of big endothelin 1 (BET1), ET1 and endothelin-converting enzyme 1 (ECE1). Immunoreactivity for BET1, ET1 and ECE1 was localized to the small vessels of the bony labyrinth adjacent to the spiral ligament. Immunohistochemistry for ET1 and BET1 was also localized to the spiral ligament. These results suggest that ET1 may be produced in the small vessels of the bony labyrinth adjacent to the spiral ligament and may play an important role in the cochlear function.
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