Local elastic properties of the guinea pig organ of Corti measured by atomic force microscopy
基于原子力显微镜测量内耳螺旋器的弹性特征

The elastic properties of the guinea pig organ of Corti were investigated using atomic force microscopy in this study for mechanical modeling of the organ of Corti. The fresh basilar membranes of guinea pig were measured by the contact method using atomic force microscopy under aqueous environment, and the force curves of the different cells in the organ of Corti were acquired. The Young's modulus was calculated to be (46±1.7) kPa for Hensen's cells, (59±0.9) kPa for outer hair cells,(250±31) kPa for pillar cells, (140±2.8) kPa for inner hair cells, (430±29.9) kPa for inner phalangeal cells,(210±7.2) for tectorial membrane and (230±8.8) kPa for basilar membrane, respectively. It is concluded that the different cells in the organ of Corti under physiological environment have different elastic properties. The measured Young's modules of the cells on the intact organ of Corti reflects their real elastic properties more precisely than that of detached cells of the organ of Corti.