Sensory adaptation in frog vestibular organs

ZUCCA, GIAMPIERO; BOTTA, LAURA; MILESI, VERONICA; VALLI, PAOLO

HEARING RESEARCH.

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 1993 p. 238 - 242

0378-5955

Adaptation, i.e., the decrease with time in sensory units? afferent discharge to a constant stimulus, appears to be a comman feature of thereceptors belonging to acoustico-Iateralis system: However, the mechanisms underlaying this process are still a matter of debate. The presentexperiments demonstrate that sensory adaptation to both mechanical and electrical stimuli can be nearly suppressed after periiymphatic ouabainadministration. This clearly indicates that the KC? homeostatic mechanisms [Valli et al., (1990) J. Physiol. (London) 430, 585-5941 which controlthe K+ concentration gradient at both ends of vestibular hair cells play a predominant role in this process. The possible importance of differentK+-dependent mechanisms in hair cell adaptation is discussed.