FIG. 7.

Tamoxifen-induced ATOH1-ER-DSRED fusion protein upregulation of MYOSIN 7a in spheres derived from inner ear tissue. HEI OC1 cells were transfected with the Atoh1-ER-DsRed construct in proliferating conditions, and then grown as floating aggregates in differentiating conditions in the presence of either tamoxifen or vehicle. Transfected aggregates cultured for 72 hr in the absence of tamoxifen exhibited cytoplasmic DsRed signaling (top left image) and low levels of MYOSIN 7a immunolabeling (bottom chart). Similarly, transfected aggregates cultured in 1 nM tamoxifen for 72 hr exhibited a nuclear localization of the DsRed signal (top right image) and a significant (*p<0.05) increase in the number of MYOSIN 7a-labeled cells (bottom chart). Scale bars=10 μM.