FIG 6.

Hyperplasia and hypertrophy of glia-like cells in injured auditory nerve. Semi-thin radial sections were stained with toluidine blue. A Section taken from a control ear shows profiles of type I (I) and type II (II) SGNs as well as Schwann cells (arrowheads). B three days after ouabain treatment, most spiral ganglion cells were apoptotic or lost. C Seven days after treatment, most of the spiral ganglion cell bodies were absent and numerous spindle-shaped cells, interpreted as glia-like cells, were present within the Rosenthal’s canal. D Hyperplasia and hypertrophy of glia-like cells within the osseous spiral lamina (osl) and Rosenthal’s canal in the apical, middle, and upper basal turns of another mouse at 3 days post-treatment. White arrowheads indicate a few surviving SGNs and black arrows indicate several areas of microvasculature. E Normal profiles of glial cells and SGNs (white arrowheads) within the osl and Rosenthal’s canal in a lower apical turn taken from a control ear. TM tectorial membrane, OC organ of Corti. Scale bars, 7 μm in C (applies to A–C); 45 μm in D.