Fig. 5. Cytoarchitectural abnormalities in the organ of Corti of Barhl1-null mice. (A-D) Scanning electron micrographs of the organs of Corti from 3.5-month-old Barhl1^+/+ and Barhl1^–/– mice. In the apical and middle turns, in contrast to the three rows of organized outer hair cells in the wild type (A), only a few residual outer hair cells remain with disorganized or V-shaped stereocilia in the mutant (B,C, arrows). The outer hair cells in the basal turn and all inner hair cells in the mutant organ of Corti appear to be normal (A-D). (E-J) Light micrographs of semi-thin transverse sections of inner ear sensory epithelia in P66 Barhl1^+/– and Barhl1^–/– mice. Although the cellular structure of the mutant organ of Corti at the basal turn is similar to the control (E,H), most of the outer hair cells in the apical and middle turns are missing and many Deiters’ cells become lost or irregular in morphology (F,G). The maculae of the utricle are similar between the mutant and control (I,J). DC, Deiters’ cell; IHC, inner hair cell; IP, inner pillar cell; OHC, outer hair cell; OP, outer pillar cell. Scale bars: 10 µm in A-D; 25 µm in E-J.

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