title: Ultrastructural co-localization of cochlin and type II collagen in the rat semicircular canal.
abstract: Cochlin and type II collagen are major constituents of the inner ear extracellular matrix. To investigate the morphological relation of cochlin and type II collagen in the rat semicircular canal, immuno-electronmicroscopic analysis was performed using the post-embedding immunogold method. Immunolabeling for cochlin was detected in the fibrillar substance underlying the supporting epithelium of the sensory cells and beneath the epithelial cells facing the endolymph in the semicircular canals. Immunolabeling for type II collagen was observed in the same fibrillar substance in the subepithelial area. The co-localization of cochlin and type II collagen in the fibrillar substance in the subepithelial area indicate that cochlin may play a role in the structural homeostasis of the vestibule acting in concert with the fibrillar type II collagen bundles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan. mizuta@hama-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kunihiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizuta
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikezono
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pawankar
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shindo
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mineta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D054777:Hair Cells, Ampulla / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: C491729:Coch protein, mouse; C529734:Coch protein, rat; D024043:Collagen Type II; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011506:Proteins