ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To explore the distribution of cells infected by AD5-EGFP infused in different ways in the cochlea of guinea pig.@*METHOD@#AD5-EGFP was infused into the endolymphatic system through a hole on the lateral wall of the scala media or into the extralymphatic system through the round window membrane respectively. The infected cochlear cells confirmed by expression of EGFP were examined on the whole mount or cryostat sections.@*RESULT@#In the cochleae in which AD5-EGFP was infused into the extralymphatic system through the round window membrane, expression of EFGP could be found in the type I, IV and V fibrocyte of the stria vascularis, superlimbal cells of the spiral lip, cells in Ressenal membrane, spiral ganglion neurons in Rosenthal hole and cells lining the inner wall of scala vestibular and scala tympani, indicating that these cells were infected by adenovirus. None of the inner, outer hair or supporting cells was found to be infected in these cochleae. In the cochleae in which AD5-EGFP was infused into the endolymphatic system through a hole on the lateral wall of scala media, expression of EFGP could be found in supporting cells in the organ of Corti and lining cells of the scala media.@*CONCLUSION@#Adenovirus5 is a good and effective vector for delivering genes into cells in guinea pig's cochlea. The scope of infected cells will be very different when the vector is applied to the cochlea through different infusion ways. No cells in the endolymphatic system would be infected if the vector is infused into the extralymphatic system.