help button home button Biophys. J.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS

Biophysical Journal 72: 2812-2819 (1997)
© 1997 the Biophysical Society

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Sit, P S
Right arrow Articles by Brownell, W E
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Sit, P S
Right arrow Articles by Brownell, W E

Micropipette aspiration on the outer hair cell lateral wall.

P S Sit, A A Spector, A J Lue, A S Popel and W E Brownell

Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.

ABSTRACT

The mechanical properties of the lateral wall of the guinea pig cochlear outer hair cell were studied using the micropipette aspiration technique. A fire-polished micropipette with an inner diameter of approximately 4 microm was brought into contact with the lateral wall and negative pressure was applied. The resulting deformation of the lateral wall was recorded on videotape and subjected to morphometric analysis. The relation between the length of the aspirated portion of the cell and aspiration pressure is characterized by the stiffness parameter, K(s) = 1.07 +/- 0.24 (SD) dyn/cm (n = 14). Values of K(s) do not correlate with the original cell length, which ranges from 29 to 74 microm. Theoretical analysis based on elastic shell theory applied to the experimental data yields an estimate of the effective elastic shear modulus, mu = 15.4 +/- 3.3 dyn/cm. These data were obtained at subcritical aspiration pressures, typically less than 10 cm H2O. After reaching a critical (vesiculation) pressure, the cytoplasmic membrane appeared to separate from the underlying structures, a vesicle with a length of 10-20 microm was formed, and the cytoplasmic membrane resealed. This vesiculation process was repeated until a cell-specific limit was reached and no more vesicles were formed. Over 20 vesicles were formed from the longest cells in the experiment.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Biophys. JHome page
A. Zelenskaya, J. Boutet de Monvel, D. Pesen, M. Radmacher, J. H. Hoh, and M. Ulfendahl
Evidence for a Highly Elastic Shell-Core Organization of Cochlear Outer Hair Cells by Local Membrane Indentation
Biophys. J., April 1, 2005; 88(4): 2982 - 2993.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ScienceHome page
J. S. Oghalai, H. Zhao, J. W. Kutz, and W. E. Brownell
Voltage- and Tension-Dependent Lipid Mobility in the Outer Hair Cell Plasma Membrane
Science, January 28, 2000; 287(5453): 658 - 661.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 J. Neurosci.Home page
J. S. Oghalai, A. A. Patel, T. Nakagawa, and W. E. Brownell
Fluorescence-Imaged Microdeformation of the Outer Hair Cell Lateral Wall
J. Neurosci., January 1, 1998; 18(1): 48 - 58.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol.Home page
N. Morimoto, R. M. Raphael, A. Nygren, and W. E. Brownell
Excess plasma membrane and effects of ionic amphipaths on mechanics of outer hair cell lateral wall
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, May 1, 2002; 282(5): C1076 - C1086.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1997 by the Biophysical Society.