Abstract
Dysfunction of the inner ear is the most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss, which is the most common sensory deficit worldwide. Conventional imaging modalities are unable to depict the microanatomy of the human inner ear, hence the need to explore novel imaging modalities. We provide the first characterization of the polarization dependent optical properties of human cochlear sections using quantitative polarized light microscopy (qPLM). Eight pediatric cadaveric cochlear sections, aged 0 (term) to 24 months, were selected from the US National Temporal Bone Registry, imaged with qPLM and analyzed using Image J. Retardance of the bony otic capsule and basilar membrane were substantially higher than that of the stria vascularis, spiral ganglion neurons, organ of Corti and spiral ligament across the half turns of the spiraling cochlea. qPLM provides quantitative information about the human inner ear, and awaits future exploration in vivo.
Highlights
Hearing loss affects over 36 million Americans [1] and 600 million people worldwide [2]
We provide the first characterization of the polarization dependent optical properties of human cochlear sections using quantitative polarized light microscopy
We have recently demonstrated that quantitative polarized light microscopy detects differences in polarization dependent optical properties of key intracochlear structures, as evaluated using unstained mouse cochlear sections [4], while being faster and cheaper than immunohistochemistry
Summary
Hearing loss affects over 36 million Americans [1] and 600 million people worldwide [2]. When the refractive index of the specimen varies anisotropically with the polarization state and propagation direction of an incoming light wave (a property known as birefringence), nonhomogeneous alterations in wave propagation velocity lead to a phase shift on orthogonal polarization states of the transmitted light wave. This phase shift is referred to as sample retardance and it can be measured in nanometers, r, or as a phase angle δ, where δ = 2πr/λ and λ is the wavelength of the light. PLM has been used to examine the microcirculation within the guinea pig cochlea [5], and to study the organization of collagen within the guinea pig [6] and mouse [7] basilar membrane after laser irradiation
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