Figure 4.
Hair cell generation through lateral inhibition in the crista A) In cristae explanted from P7 and P30 mice cultured for 5 DIV, Hes5-eGFP is strongly expressed in the peripheral support cells. Upon Notch inhibition with DAPT, Hes5 is downregulated. B) The cre recombinase/reporter strategy used to lineage trace support cells in the mature cristae. Mice expressing PLP-creER, which is expressed only in peripheral support cells of the cristae, were crossed with R26-mTmG mice. Upon Tamoxifen treatment, PLP-expressing cells began expressing membrane-bound GFP (mGFP). C) An example of a lineage traced transitional cell (green) expressing the early hair cell marker Gfi1 (arrow) and possessing a normal hair cell morphology, including a kinocilium. [Reprinted with kind permission from Springer Science + Business Media: Slowik, A. D. and Bermingham-McDonogh, O. 2013, J. Assoc. Res. Otolaryngol., 14, 813.]