Electron microscopical and histochemical studies of outer hair cells in acoustically exposed rabbits.

After acoustic exposure, in the infranuclear region of the basal turn histochemically the lactate dehydrogenase activity increased more than normal. In the lower half of the second turn of this region, small vesicles, free ribosomes and coated vesicles decreased in number and cytoplasmic matrix become lower in electron density and lactic dehydrogenase activity decreased. Small vesicles were found to be preferentially distributed in the presynaptic side of the afferent nerve endings. Movement of these small vesicles leads to the speculation that small vesicles have close relationship to the afferent nerve endings.