Cytoskeletal Organization of the Human Inner Ear: IV. Expression of Actin in Vestibular Organs

Abstract

The presence of F-actin was analyzed in eight serially cryosectioned human 14th-18th gestation week old vestibular organs. Varying degrees of F-actin staining was visualized in all cell types, both of epithelial and mesenchymal origin. A very intense staining occurred at the apical surfaces of sensory cells and hair cells in all five vestibular organs but not outside the hair cell containing regions. The high amounts of F-actin in vestibular organs might give them an extreme stiffness in relation to surrounding structures.

Key Words:

• human
• inner ear
• vestibular organs
• embryonic
• actin