Glutaraldehyde induces cell shape changes in isolated outer hair cells from the inner ear

Individual isolated outer hair cells (OHCs) from the cochlea were maintained in a collagen gel and viewed in the light microscope. They were observed during fixation and processing for transmission electron microscopy and individual cells were selected for observation in the electron microscope. Application of glutaraldehyde at several concentrations caused OHCs to become shorter. Shrinkage occurred during dehydration but there was no further change during infiltration with the epoxy resin. Ultrastructural analysis of isolated cells fixed with glutaraldehyde and postfixed with osmium tetroxide showed that these cells were similar to cells fixed in the intact cochlea. The glutaraldehyde-induced cell shape change is similar to the shortening seen in intact OHCs in response to the application of solutions containing high potassium or caffeine. Application of glutaraldehyde to cells pretreated with potassium or caffeine caused further shortening. Glutaraldehyde-induced cell shape change was not blocked by the application of tetracaine, which did prevent potassium-induced and caffeine-induced shortening. Glutaraldehyde-induced cell shape change was not stopped by short treatment with N-ethylmaleimide, which did inhibit potassium-induced shortening. Results from these experiments suggest that the glutaraldehyde-induced OHC shape change is not caused by an effect on the membrane or by calcium activation of a contractile response. Shortening may be caused by shrinkage due to cross-linking of proteins.