[Ocular and auditory organs of Ochotona rufescens]

Ochotona rufescens is an animal species native to Afghanistan, and is among many new animal species currently being raised for use in experimental research in Japan. In the present paper, we report morphological findings on ocular and auditory character of Ochotona rufescens examined first under normal conditions and then under the influence of various agents, and the results were compared with those on other experimental animals used in this study. On histological examination, the cochlear portion of the labyrinth was found to consist of a coiled canal making two and one half turns from its basal end to the upper turn, and was identical to those of cats and rabbits. Moreover, triple rows of outer sensory hair cells and a single row of inner sensory hair cells were observed. Kanamycin and furosemide (Lasix), a diuretic, were administered 10 min. apart to determine the effects of these drugs on pinna reflex, however, as a result of these administration, none of the Ochotona rufescens tested showed any appreciable depression of this reflex. By funduscopic observation with photographic records, principal retinal arteries were hardly demonstrable except for extremely vague chorioidal vessels, in the layer of the pigmented epithelium which had a puce-like color. Ay contrast, retinal veins were seen in the fundus oculi, as well as whitish optic nerves. The amplitude of the "a" wave in the electroretinogram (ERG) of Ochotona rufescens was only 1/6 that of albino rats or albino rabbits, but the "b" wave was similar in amplitude for all these three species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)