Tissue culture of the organ of Corti and the isolated hair cells from the newborn guinea pig.

The organ of Corti and isolated hair cells from newborn guinea pig were cultured with the Rose chamber method. The hair cells could be maintained for more than 20 days after explantation when the organ of Corti was cultured as a whole, though the isolated hair cells swelled and degenerated within about 13 hours after explantation. By comparison between the tissue culture of the hair cells with the organ of Corti and isolated hair cell culture, the following conclusions were reached: (1) There are some functional correlations concerning the nutritional requirements and cell metabolism between the hair cells and the supporting cells in addition to the structural correlations. (2) There are no distinct fundamental differences between both inner and outer hair cells about their affectability as a single cell level.