Induction of Functional Hair-Cell-Like Cells from Mouse Cochlear Multipotent Cells

Figure 4

Hair bundle-like protrusions on cells differentiated on chicken utricle stromal cells. (a) The progenitor cells were plated on a layer of mitotically inactivated chicken utricle stromal cells (as shown in Figure 2(a)). After 7 days of differentiation, the Brn3c-positive cells (green) coexpressed the stereocilia marker Espin (red). Espin immunoreactivity was localized on one side of the presumptive hair cells (arrowheads in (a)). (b) When the progenitor cells were cultured on chicken stromal cells (as shown in Figure 2(a)), some cells displayed F-actin-rich protrusions. (c) Bundle-like structures protruding from the surface of the hair-cell-like cells showed colocalization of F-actin (green, left) and tubulin (red, center). Right: merged image of both labels. (d) The stereocilia-like extension was labeled with F-actin (arrowheads in (d), green, left) and Espin (arrowheads in (d), red, center). Right: merged image of both labels.

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