Figure 2. Myosin VIIa is necessary for pan-twinfilin localization at the stereocilia tips.

Confocal images showing the distribution of pan-twinfilin in mutant stereocilia bundles. Actin filaments were counterstained with rhodamine/phalloidin (red). Images on the right show green channel. A - In mosaic auditory sensory epithelia of Myo7a^{4626SB/4626SB} Hprt^(Myo7a)Brd/+ females at P5 myosinVIIa immunofluorescence (green) is restricted to complemented hair cells with normal morphological appearance of stereocilia bundles. B, C - Pan-twinfilin immunofluorescence (green) at stereocilia tips is restricted to complemented inner hair cells (showing normal hair bundle morphology) while there is no staining in shorter stereocilia of non-complemented inner hair cells (asterisks). D–E - Pan-twinfilin (green) localized to the tips of all whirlin- and myosinXVa-deficient stereocilia on the apical surface of inner hair cells of adult Whrn^wi/wi (D) and Myo15a^sh2/sh2 mice (E). Scale bars: A–10 µm; B–D and H–5 µm, E–G–1 µm.