TRANSDUCTION STUDIES IN ISOLATED HAIR-CELLS OF THE CHICK COCHLEA

Hair bundles of isolated chick cochlear hair cells were stimulated with a water jet while simultaneously whole-cell recording their receptor potentials. Twenty-six cells, half with normal current-voltage curves, exhibited transduction-like signals. To elucidate the nature of the receptor potential changes, amiloride, which blocked transduction in chick vestibular hair cells, was perfused in the bath. Amiloride blocked the transduction-like signal in a single hair cell. Three other cells with abnormal current-voltage curves exhibited transduction-like signals but did not respond to amiloride. Though we believe the blockage of currents in the single hair cell by amiloride is convincing evidence that the receptor potential changes were due to transduction, possible alternative mechanisms for the behavior seen are discussed.