Fig. 3
Expression of connexin 30.2 (Cx30.2)—encoded by the mouse Gjd3 gene—(B, C, E, F, and H) and controls without primary antibody (A, D, and G) at the cochlea in mouse inner ear sections, and expression of Cx30.2 in mouse development (I). A–C: In postnatal day 3 (P3) mice, the immunofluorescence revealed strong expression of Cx30.2 at the tectorial membrane (TM), and also in a punctiform labeling at the cartilage and inner hair cells (IHC); not observed in the negative control. D-F: The punctiform immunofluorescence labeling of Cx30.2 in postnatal day 30 (P30) cochlea was observed especially at the TM, when comparing against the negative control. G-H: In postnatal day 90 (P90), Cx30.2 appears in the cochlea in a very dispersed punctiform immunofluorescence labeling at spiral limbus (SL), nerve fibers region (NF) and TM; with more dense patches at TM or below the IHC; not observed in the negative control. I: Gene expression (ΔCt) of Gjd3 in 1, 6, and 12-month-old mouse cochleae (in each age group, there are four pools, each consisting of three cochleae). Student’s t-test was used to calculate the p value in each comparison. The Cx30.2 is stained using the rabbit polyclonal anti-connexin 30.2, LifeTechnologies, # 40–7400 (green), and the nuclei are stained using DAPI (blue). Scale bars 100 μm (A, B, D, and E) and 50 μm (C, F, G, and H). SV, stria vascularis; BM, basilar membrane; OHC, outer hair cells; SC, supporting cells