[Morphological observation and electrophysiological properties of isolated Deiters' cells from guinea pig cochlea]

To dissociate viable isolated Deiters' cells from guinea pig cochlea and perform morphological measurements under inverted microscope; To study electrophysiological properties of Deiters' cells.

Deiters' cells were dissociated from guinea pig cochlea by papain digestion followed by trituration. Standard patch clamp methods were used to measure whole cell capacitance, zero current potential, reversal potential and potassium ion currents of Deiters' cells in normal external solution. Equations were used to compute the relative membrane permeability ratio of Deiters' cell to K+ and Na+ (PK/PNa) and the potassium equilibrium potential (EK).

Isolated Deiters' cell looks like a comma, which was divided into cell body, stem and Deiters' phalanx and the nucleus is at about center of its body. Cell length of Deiters' cell was (61.6 +/- 20) microM (mean +/- SEM, n = 45), whole cell capacitance was (27.5 +/- 9.2) pF (n = 28), zero current potential was (-20 +/- 1.8) mV(n = 28), reversal potential was (-64.3 +/- 2.9) mV (n = 24), PK/PNa = 25.4:1 and EK = -82.4 mV. Potassium currents of Deiters' cells were recorded in normal external solution.

The situation of Deiters' cells in cochlea could be inferred according to length of them indirectly. The ion channel of Deiters' cells was mainly K+ selective. Voltage-dependent and outwardly rectifying potassium currents were prominent in Deiters' cells.