| First Author | Whitlon DS | Year | 1993 |
| Journal | J Neurocytol | Volume | 22 |
| Issue | 12 | Pages | 1030-8 |
| PubMed ID | 8106878 | Mgi Jnum | J:17153 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:65205 | Doi | 10.1007/BF01235747 |
| Citation | Whitlon DS (1993) E-cadherin in the mature and developing organ of Corti of the mouse. J Neurocytol 22(12):1030-8 |
| abstractText | The reticular lamina of the mammalian cochlea is formed by the tightly joined apical surfaces of hair cells and supporting cells. This lamina creates a barrier separating endolymph and perilymph, two fluids of different composition. The preservation of this fluid barrier is a requirement of cochlear function. This study aimed to determine whether the calcium-dependent, cell adhesion molecule, E-cadherin was appropriately placed both temporally and spatially to contribute to the formation and maintenance of the reticular lamina. Cochleas aged E15 to P31 were stained immunocytochemically for E-cadherin. In the P31 organ of Corti, E-cadherin is localized to the apical intercellular junctions of supporting cells, but is absent from supporting cell-hair cell borders. During development, E-cadherin is present only on the apices and lateral edges of those cells which will eventually lie adjacent to fluid spaces--pillar, outer hair and Deiters cells. The molecule disappears from the lateral cell membranes at about the time in development that fluid spaces form. These data suggest that E-cadherin plays a role in maintaining the reticular lamina by mediating inter-supporting cell adhesion and raise the possibility that fluid space opening in the organ of Corti is facilitated by the down-regulation or redistribution of E-cadherin. |
