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Related Experiment Videos

High resolution and image processing of otoconia matrix

C D Fermin1

  • 1Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112-2699.

Microscopy Research and Technique
|July 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

This study reveals chick inner ear otoconia may possess central cores in vivo. Fibril organization visualized via electron microscopy supports a hexagonal packing model, crucial for otoconia buoyancy.

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Area of Science:

  • Otopathology
  • Biomineralization
  • Crystallography

Background:

  • Otoconia are calcium carbonate structures in the inner ear crucial for balance.
  • Their internal organization and formation mechanisms are not fully understood.
  • Previous studies have focused on otoconia composition and macroscopic structure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the in vivo organization patterns of otoconia fibrils.
  • To correlate fibril organization with the hexagonal shape of otoconia.
  • To understand the role of fibril arrangement in otoconia core formation and buoyancy.

Main Methods:

  • Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of histochemically stained chick otoconia.
  • Video imaging and image processing for fibril trajectory analysis.
Keywords:
NASA Discipline NeuroscienceNASA Discipline Number 40-10NASA Program Space BiologyNon-NASA Center

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparison of staining techniques, including phosphotungstic acid (PTA).

    • Main Results:

    • Otoconia fibrils exhibit trajectories conforming to the hexagonal shape, suggesting a role in central core formation.
    • Fibril packing density varies with staining methods; PTA staining resulted in tighter packing.
    • TEM analysis indicated fibril turning at specific angles related to otoconia faces and core presence.
    • Reconstructed templates suggest in vivo fibril packing may closely resemble observed patterns.

    Conclusions:

    • Chick otoconia likely possess central cores in vivo, influencing their buoyancy.
    • The hexagonal shape dictates fibril organization, potentially forming the central core.
    • Observed fibril patterns in fixed otoconia may accurately represent in vivo structures, despite discrepancies with unfixed crystallographic data.