Abstract: Living vestibular hair cells(VHCs)were separated from vestibular sensory epithelium of guinea pig by micromanipulation.TypeⅠand typeⅡcells could be identified. Although their form varied :cell body of variable roundness,and neck and cilia of different lengths,they have a round basal portion containing the nucleus in its normal position. Cell viability was verified by dyeing of 1% neutral red solution. Above 90% isolated VHCs could maintained their shape and viability for 1h at the room temperature.Morphological criteria for VHC viablity were presented based on published cochlear outer hair cell morphological studies. This technique can contributed to investigations on the physiology of mammalian vestibular cells,and on the mechanisms of some diseases.

Key words: inner ear, vestibular hair cells, viable time, guinea pig