Spiral ganglion neurons.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Plastic embedded sections of control mice and mice seven days after blast exposure. There was a significant reduction of spiral ganglion neurons (<i>SGNs</i>) in blast-exposed mice compared to controls (non-paired Student's t-test, p = 0.013). SGNs were identified by their larger nuclei and prominent nucleoli. (<b>B</b>) Summed confocal Z-stack images of the apical turn of the cochlea in control and mice seven days after blast exposure. The number of synaptic ribbons (<i>red punctate labeling</i>) under the IHCs and the OHCs was reduced after blast exposure (non-paired Student's t-test, p<0.0001 for both). (<b>C</b>) Representative paraffin embedded cochlear cross-sections stained with DAPI from a control mouse, a mouse one day after blast exposure, and a mouse seven days after blast exposure. The boxes highlight the modiolus, which was expanded for the immunolabeling studies in (D). (<b>D</b>) IBA1 expression was stronger in mice one and seven days after blast exposure. Scale bars: A-50 µm, B-20 µm, C-200 µm, D-200 µm.