Light and electron microscopic studies of the basilar papilla in the duck, Anas platyrhynchos. I. The hatchling.

The intent of this study was to describe in detail the normal structure of the basilar papilla in the duck, Anas platyrhynchos, with light and electron microscopy. The cochlear duct is supported by a ring of dense periotic connective tissue, the limbus. Distribution of hair cells in the basilar papilla follows the general avian pattern. Tall hair cells occupy the neural margin of the papilla. Short hair cells cover the abneural margin from the proximal tip to the middistal area. Intermediate hair cells form a transition zone from genu to distal tip. Patterns of innervation are correlated with hair cell morphology, which supports the classification of hair cells in birds into three groups. Tall hair cells synapse with two to four large afferents and one efferent; intermediate hair cells synapse with one or two afferents and one or two efferents; short hair cells synapse with one small afferent and one or two large efferents. In this relatively primitive species of bird, cuticles in all classes of hair cells reach the plasmalemma on the neural side of the cell, a condition that supports the contention that tall hair cells are more primitive than short hair cells.