Analysis of isolated outer hair cell motility in response to sound stimuli using high speed video system.

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Although the amplitude of tympanic membrane vibrations is only a few nanometers when we speak in a low voice, we can understand clearly what is being said. This is speculated to be due to the cochlear amplification which is based on the outer hair cells (OHCs) motility. However, the mechanism of OHCs motility in the cochlea is unclear. Therefore, in this study, in order to understand its mechanism, the isolated OHCs motility in response to the voltage stimuli is measured by a high speed video system. Results are as follows : the generation force of the short OHCs taken from the basal region of the cochlea is larger than that of the long OHCs from its apical region ; slthough sinusoidal voltage stimulus produces synchronously oscillatory elongation and shortening of the cells, the center of the oscillation is shifted to the side of shortening.