Hair and Supporting Cell Markers Demonstrate Sensory Areas Are Reduced or Absent in the <i>Jag1-cko</i> Inner Ear

<div><p>Immunocytochemistry using two markers, myosin VIIA (red; all hair cells) and S100a (green; inner hair cells, Dieter's cells, and inner phalangeal cells) demonstrate patterns of hair and supporting cell production at E18.5 in control and <i>Jag1-cko</i> inner ears.</p><p>(A–F) Sections through the indicated turns of the cochlea. Note the different hair cell patterns in the apical, middle and basal turns of the <i>Jag1-cko</i> cochlea. Normal morphology is shown (A) along with labeled structures, as follows: GER, greater epithelial ridge; IHCs, inner hair cells (color-coded yellow); LER, lesser epithelial ridge; OHCs, outer hair cells (color-coded red); SCs, supporting cells (color-coded green).</p><p>(G–J) Patterns of hair and supporting cell production in the vestibular system. The utricular macula is extremely small with very few hair cells (H) while the saccule (J) shows robust hair and supporting cell production although the shape of the organ is smaller and malformed.</p>