Figure 8.

Survival, Distribution, and Cell Fate of Mouse Atoh1-GFP Progenitor Cells 4 Weeks Post-transplantation

(A) Timeline of the experimental design used for Atoh1-GFP progenitor cell transplantation including cyclosporin treatment. (B) The HC markers MYO7A (shown in red) and POU4F3 (shown in white) were observed on cochlear whole-mount surface preparations as revealed by immunohistochemistry. Few Atoh1-GFP-injected cells (shown in green) migrated to the cochlear sensory epithelium and were found below the IHC region (MYO7A/POU4F3) immunopositive cells. (C) Engrafted Atoh1-GFP cells (green) moderately expressed the POU4F3 (shown in white, arrows). (D) 3D reconstitution of whole-mount preparation outlining the X (in red), Y (in green), and Z (in blue) axes. (E) Virtual transverse image confirming the spatial localization of Atoh1-GFP engrafted cells (arrows) in the area below the MYO7A immunopositive endogenous residual IHC. Scale bar, 10 μm (B and E) and 5 μm (C). IHC, inner hair cell; BM, basilar membrane.