In vivo study of the electrochemical composition of luminal fluid in the guinea pig endolymphatic sac.

The aim of this study was to investigate the ionic composition (sodium, potassium) of the luminal fluid in the endolymphatic sac and to correlate it with the transepithelial potential. Experiments were performed in guinea pigs using either an intradural posterior fossa approach or a translabyrinthine approach. The endolymphatic sac transepithelial potential (ESP) was measured and the luminal fluid was sampled. The sodium, potassium and protein concentrations were determined. The results were: i) the luminal fluid in the endolymphatic sac differs in composition from perilymph, on the one hand, and from both cochlear and vestibular endolymph, on the other hand, indicating that the endolymphatic sac maintains chemical (sodium, potassium) and electrical (ESP) gradients; ii) the calculated osmolarity (Na + K) x 2 was about 230 mosm/l; iii) no correlation was observed between sodium and potassium concentrations; iv) large interindividual variations exist from one animal to another, suggesting physiological variations in the functional status of the endolymphatic sac. In conclusion, the variation in composition of the endolymphatic sac luminal fluid reflected variations in ion transport by the epithelium and thus a possible adaptation of the ion transport to different physiopathological conditions.