Transfection of mouse cochlear explants by electroporation.
The sensory epithelium of the mammalian inner ear, also referred to as the organ of Corti, is a remarkable structure comprised of highly ordered rows of mechanosensory hair cells and non-sensory supporting cells located within the coiled cochlea. This unit describes an in vitro explant culture technique that can be coupled with gene transfer via electroporation to study the effects of altering gene expression during development of the organ of Corti. While the protocol is largely focused on embryonic cochlea, the same basic protocol can be used on cochleae from mice as old as P5.
Driver
Elizabeth C
EC
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Kelley
Matthew W
MW
D000818:Animals; D003051:Cochlea / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015509:Developmental Biology / Q000379:methods; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D042282:Microdissection / Q000379:methods; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D009925:Organ of Corti / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*