Fig. 5.

Cartoons of P4 IHCs typical of wildtype, diminuendo heterozygote, Ptprq-CAT-KO homozygote and diminuendo homozygote mice. Wildtype IHCs (left) show a gradient of maturity from the base (most mature, 10%) to the apex (least mature, 90%). Diminuendo heterozygotes (centre left) display a very similar gradient, with a slight delay in development visible from 10 to 30%. Ptprq-CAT-KO homozygote IHCs (centre right) are more affected, although stereocilia are organised into rows, and the taller stereocilia show some thickening as in wildtype and diminuendo heterozygote IHCs. No Ptprq-CAT-KO IHCs were preserved for observation at 10%. Diminuendo homozygote IHCs (right) are much more affected than the others, with extra rows of stereocilia and not much thickening of the taller stereocilia, but they still appear to have a gradient of maturity between 10 and 90%.