The base of the cochlea is more vulnerable to trauma than the apex as seen in the pattern of
hair cell damage by cisplatin or aminoglycosides. The differential vulnerability is maintained
in organotypic cultures exposed directly to these drugs, suggesting there may be an intrinsic
difference in sensitivity to damage along the cochlear spiral. We therefore investigated the
survival capacity of isolated outer hair cells and strips dissected from different turns of the
guinea pig organ of Corti in short-term culture. Cells were stained with fluorescent indicators …