内耳液の研究よりみた内耳の機構—とくに比較生化学的立場より

STUDIES ON THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM OF THE INNER EAR

　I．緒言

　哺乳類の内耳は衆知の通り2つの機能をもつた感覚器官であり今日まで多くの研究者により形態学的，生理学的に研究が行なわれてきたが，内耳における特異な体液である内耳液と内耳の機能，構造の関連についての考察は少ない。哺乳類，硬骨魚類，両棲類を中心に内耳液の研究を行なつてきたが，内耳液の内耳機能に果たす役割について内耳液の比較生化学の面より，さらに内耳液と内耳の形態について比較解剖学的に考察した。

　The semicircular canals in the lower-specied vertebrates like sharks posessing only cartilagenous frame-works are open ended, whereas, in the higher animals they are invariably closed and provided with special functions of maintaining corporeal balance and that of hearing. In mammals fluid in the semicircular canal is composed of inner and outer lymphs. The manner in which he lymph in the semicircular canal is formed is yet to be known but it is believed that it scrves as a pathway by which labyrinthine structures obtain their nurishment.