title: Processing and analyzing the mouse temporal bone to identify gross, cellular and subcellular pathology.
abstract: A technique has been developed for preparing the mouse temporal bone for histopathological examination: first, as a whole mount to detect any gross malformations of the bony or membranous labyrinths; second, in dissected segments to localize damage in the different sensory organs and to quantify sensory- and supporting-cell losses; and finally, in semi-thick and thin sections to identify and characterize subcellular pathology. Examples are given of the successful application of this technique to mice with very different inner-ear problems, including those with an abnormally short cochlear spiral, a defective lateral semicircular canal, abnormal otoliths over the saccular macula, an increased susceptibility to noise damage and those which lack fibroblast growth factor receptor 3.
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. bohne_b@kids.wustl.edu
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Bohne
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Harding
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003051:Cochlea / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006199:Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018072:Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016613:Plastic Embedding; D012444:Saccule and Utricle / Q000473:pathology; D013136:Spiral Ganglion / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016707:Tissue Fixation