Fig. 4.

NTPDase6 distribution in adult rat cochlea. a Even at a low magnification, NTPDase6 immunoperoxidase labelling was evident in the inner hair cells (ihc) in each turn of the cochlea. b NTPDase6-specific inner hair cell labelling was also observed with confocal immunofluorescence; it was absent from the outer hair cells (ohc), stria vascularis (sv), spiral ligament (sl), or spiral limbus (s limbus). Detail of cytoplasmic NTPDase6 immunoreactivity was evident in the inner hair cells using both immunoperoxidase (c) and confocal immunofluorescence (d). e Inner hair cells are unlabelled in peptide block controls. Abbreviations: Bm basilar membrane, Cc Claudius cells, sM scala media, sT scala tympani, sV scala vestibule, Tm tectorial membrane. Scale bar 50 µm (a, b); 20 µm (c–e)