Faculty Bibliography

Otocysts explanted from 12th-gestation-day mice and maintained in organ culture under went a series of developmental changes which paralleled those that occurred in vivo and which resulted in the formation of a sensory epithelium of the vestibular type. At the time of explantation presumptive vestibular sensory epithelium consisted of cells that were undifferentiated, pseudostratified and rapidly proliferating. The only microtubules present were those of the mitotic apparatus. After 4 days of in vitro development cells comprising the presumptive vestibular sensory epithelium were less pseudostratified and more elongate; their nuclei had assumed a basal orientation and there was a clear maginal velum. Longitudinally oriented cytoplasmic microtubules were present at the apices of some cells; they were often grouped around a centriole which may have served as a nucleation centre for their assembly. After 7 days of in vitro development mitosis had ceased and supporting cells had innervated hair cells were present: both types of cells were always longer than they were broad and were often highly asymmetrical. Hair cells were flask- or columnar-shaped, with a nucleus situated in the basal third of the cell. Most mitochondria in hair cells were located in the apical third of the cell. The same distribution of mitochondria and nuclei was evident in supporting cells. Microtubules occurred throughout the length of the supporting cell and were always parallel to its longitudinal axis. In hair cells microtubules were more frequent than in supporting cells: the majority were parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cell but there were two exceptions. First, at the apex of hair cells some microtubules were oriented transversely and diagnonally: these were probably involved in the development and maintenance of the constricted apex of these cells. Secondly, microtubules appeared to be randomly arranged in the narrow region of the cytoplasm between the ventral surface of the nucleus and the base of the hair cells. Microfilaments were confined to the basal third of hair cells where their orientation paralleled that of microtubules. The possible functions of microtubules and microfilaments in the development of hair cells and supporting cells of the mouse vestibular epithelium are discussed.

A carefully planned clinical program of combined pre-operative radiation and surgery has been conducted by the Department of Otolaryngology at The Mount Sinai Hospital for 14 years in an effort to improve the survival rate for advanced cancer of the larynx and laryngopharynx. An extensive histopathological study of resected larynges and radical neck specimens was undertaken in 1961 in order to determine the effects of pre-operative radiation. A very careful statistical analysis has been made of the survival experience of this series of cases. The three and five year survival rates have been computed by the actuarial method. The histopathological study entailed a serial section study of 26 larynges and 21 radical neck dissection specimens. These studies have been most informative as to the nature of the radiobiologic process involved in the destruction of laryngeal cancer. In addition, the study has been revealing as to the ability of radiation to sterilize cancer in the neck specimens. The clinical correlate of this histologic finding has been the observation of reduced cervical recurrences in patients treated with combined therapy. In conclusion, our statistics seem to indicate that our combined therapy method has improved the survival rates of patients with advanced cancer of the larynx and laryngopharynx.

A parallel-swing ENG study in rabbits led to two investigative conclusions: (a) for experimental purposes the parallel swing test must be performed with monocular, both horizontal and vertical leads, and (b) such studies must be performed in a darkened room. Following surgical bilateral "immobilization" of the cupulae of the horizontal semicircular canals, horizontal nystagmus induced in the parallel-swing test is probably generated by the otolithic system.