Figure 4

Acetylated tubulin decreases in hypothyroid cochleae. (A) Representative confocal projections of the lumenal surface of the cochlear sensory epithelium from the apex of the cochlea at postnatal day 0 (P0). Acetylated tubulin immunofluorescence (pink) is decreased in the PC row (dashed lines) of hypothyroid cochleae. Also, intensity of actin immunolabeling (green) appears increased in hypothyroid conditions. (B) At postnatal day 3 (P3), acetylated tubulin immunolabeling is present in the hypothyroid PC row, but is decreased relative to control. Actin immunofluorescence appears similar between control and hypothyroid conditions. (C) By postnatal day 5 (P5), acetylated tubulin expression appears in supporting pillar and Deiter’s cells of control cochleae, but is absent in hypothyroid conditions. Scale bar, 20 μm, applies to representative confocal projections from 12 samples. OHC, outer hair cell; PC, pillar cell; IHC, inner hair cell.