Fig. 5. Comparison of cochlear structure in the WT and Keap1^FA/FA mice at 2 months of age.

a, b Cochlear histology at each turn. The SGN density (a) and density of the SL fibrocytes (b) are shown (n = 6 in each group). c Surface preparation images of the hair cells. Missing OHCs are indicated with white arrowheads. Missing OHCs were quantitatively analyzed by evaluating 90 OHCs at each turn (n = 5 in each group). Data represent the mean ± SEM. Unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test was applied. Differences between WT and Keap1^FA/FA mice were not statistically significant. The samples of the WT mice at 2 months of age are the same as those shown in Fig. 2. Scale bars correspond to 50 μm (a, b) and 40 μm (c).