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Figure 3. Development of the inner ear sensory organs, otoconia and statoaccoustic ganglion in Sox9-depleted tadpoles at stage 45. A: Representative cases of Bmp4 expression in the sensory organs of the inner ear of control and Sox9-depleted tadpoles (Sox9MO; 1 ng and 2.5 ng) at stage 45. The arrows indicate the position of the various sensory epithelium as they arise from anterior to posterior (left to right). AC, anterior crista; UM, utricular macula; HC, horizontal crista; SM, saccular macula; PC, posterior crista. B: Sensory epithelium of the saccular macula and associated hair cells and otoconia in control and Sox9-depleted embryos at stage 45. While hair cells and otoconia were missing in the inner ear of embryos injected with the higher dose of Sox9MO (2.5 ng), the statoaccoustic ganglion formed in its proper location in these embryos. The lower panels are higher magnification views of the boxed area shown in the upper panels. Scale bars = 100 mu m in A, 50 mu m in B. MHC, hair cell; OTC, otoconia; SAG, statoaccoustic ganglion. |
