The early postnatal development of the cochlear vasculature in the gerbil

The blood vessels of the cochlea were studied from birth up to adult age in the gerbil. Even at birth the principal vascular arrangement could be identified in the external wall. However, the early circulatory mainstream appeared even more predominantly radial apico-basal over radiating arterioles-arteriovenous anastomoses-collecting venules than at later stages. At birth, only small sections of capillaries could be observed in the stria vascularis. Stria vascularis achieved its adult vascular appearance rapidly between 8-10 days after birth (DAB). The rapid development of stria vascularis immediately preceded the development of cochlear function and may have been related to the development of the ionic composition of endolymph. At birth the vessel of the basilar membrane showed many large vascular connections with the collecting venules in the scala tympani of the external wall but very few supplying and draining ramifications on the medial side of the vessel. This suggests that the vessel of the basilar membrane originates from the external wall vessels, not from the spiral lamina vessels as has previously been supposed. The peripheral vascular connections degenerated rapidly after birth. The vessel, being very large at birth, degenerated completely by 15 to 20 DAB, ultimately disappearing in the basal turn. The degeneration suggests that its major importance may be during embryonic stages, with great probability for the development of the organ of Corti.