title: Evidence for a partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition in postnatal stages of rat auditory organ morphogenesis.
abstract: The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a crucial role in the differentiation of many tissues and organs. So far, an EMT was not detected in the development of the auditory organ. To determine whether an EMT may play a role in the morphogenesis of the auditory organ, we studied the spatial localization of several EMT markers, the cell-cell adhesion molecules and intermediate filament cytoskeletal proteins, in epithelium of the dorsal cochlea during development of the rat Corti organ from E18 (18th embryonic day) until P25 (25th postnatal day). We examined by confocal microscopy immunolabelings on cryosections of whole cochleae with antibodies anti-cytokeratins as well as with antibodies anti-vimentin, anti-E-cadherin and anti-β-catenin. Our results showed a partial loss of E-cadherin and β-catenin and a temporary appearance of vimentin in pillar cells and Deiters between P8 and P10. These observations suggest that a partial EMT might be involved in the remodelling of the Corti organ during the postnatal stages of development in rat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, GIGA-Neurosciences, Unit of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of Liege, Avenue de l'hôpital 1, 4000 Liege, Belgium. n.johnen@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Johnen
authors.forename: Marie-Emilie
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Francart
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thelen
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cloes
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thiry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000254:growth & development*; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009925:Organ of Corti / Q000254:growth & development; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C495268:Ctnnb1 protein, rat; D014746:Vimentin; D051176:beta Catenin