Immunobiology of the inner ear.

Immunologic mechanisms may play an etiologic role in ear disease, and many disorders long considered idiopathic are now being examined for such an immunologic basis. While it is possible that many of these idiopathic diseases will ultimately prove not to be immunologically mediated, the outcome of these research endeavors will certainly clarify some of the basic mechanisms of host immunity involved in ear disease. The immunobiology of diseases that affect the inner ear is discussed from both experimental and clinical viewpoints.