Streptomycin and kanamycin effect upon the vestibular sensory epithelia of the maculae sacculi and utriculi in the guinea pig.

The pathological patterns of the sensory epithelia of the maculae sacculi and utriculi were investigated after streptomycin and kanamycin administration. The silver reaction method and the succinic dehydrogenase staining were used for the surface study of the sensory epithelia. The sensory cells of type I with the common nerve chalices in the striola were most vulnerable. There was no conspicuous difference of sensitivity between the type II cells inside and outside the striola. The morphological vulnerability was emphasized in the explanation for the difference in degree of sensitivity between the type I and the type II sensory cells.