Synchronized Progression of Prestin Expression and Auditory Brainstem Response during Postnatal Development in Rats

Figure 2

Confocal images of prestin expression in OHCs at various postnatal ages. Prestin immunoreactivity was measured from three segments (basal, middle, and apical) along the cochlea. For P5 and P7 apical turns, the hair bundles were labeled with rhodamine-phalloidin (red), the nuclei of hair cells were stained with DAPI (blue), and the prestin was labeled in green. Three images with different focal planes at hair bundle (to indicate the apical surface of the OHCs), the upper lateral wall of the HOCs, and nucleus were merged. No prestin fluorescence (green) was seen at P0–P5. To better illustrate the expression of prestin on the lateral wall of the OHCs, only green channel was shown after P7. Prestin expression progressed both spatially and temporally. Scale bar represents 20 μm.