Figure 3.

Morphology of hair-cell stereocilia in the vitamin A-deficient (VAD) pigmented mice. Representative histological findings of the organ of Corti in the pigmented (A, n = 8) and albino (B, n = 8) mice. Haematoxylin–eosin staining demonstrates outer hair cell degeneration (arrows) after 16 weeks of a VAD diet. Bars indicate 100 μm. Tissues were harvested from the middle cochlear turn of four mice from each group. (C) Scanning electron microscopic images of hair cell stereocilia. In contrast to the well-organised outer hair cells in the control group (n = 6), albino mice (n = 6) in the VAD group exhibit damaged outer hair cells (arrows) in the middle cochlear turn at 8 weeks of age. These degenerative changes are more obvious at 16 weeks of age. Tissues were harvested from the middle cochlear turn of three ICR mice from each group. (D) Confocal microscopic images (600×) of fluoresce in isothiocyanate–phalloidin stained cochlea in VAD albino mice (n = 6). The cochlear middle turn of the VAD mice exhibit some unstained areas with loss of stereocilia at 8 weeks of age; the severity of loss of stereocilia is greater among older mice (16 weeks). In contrast, the control mice exhibit three intact rows of outer hair cells. White arrows indicate the loss of hair cells. Tissues were harvested from the middle cochlear turn of three ICR mice from each group.