Analysis of the Damage Mechanism Related to CO₂ Laser Cochleostomy on Guinea Pig Cochlea

Figure 4

The expression of β-catenin and E-cadherin in the sensory epithelium changed after applying CO₂ laser irradiation. Surface views of the organ of Corti in the basal turn ((a), (c), (e), and (g)) in the control group and ((b), (d), (f), and (h)) in the 10 W laser group. The samples were stained for phalloidin (green, (c), (d)), β-catenin (red, (e), (f)), and E-cadherin (blue, (g), (h)). In the 10 W laser group, we observed overexpression of β-catenin (red) and E-cadherin (blue) in the damaged surface of the outer hair cells. ((i), (j)) Western blot analysis of E-cadherin (i) and β-catenin (j) proteins in the cochleae of the 10 W laser and control groups, which is quantified and plotted in (k). The densities of the E-cadherin and β-catenin protein bands were normalised with GAPDH ((i), (j)). Data are presented as means + SD; , . Scale bar: 20 μm. pha: phalloidin; E-cad: E-cadherin; β-cat: β-catenin. Scale bar: 20 μm.

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