[Ongoing production of sensory epithelium cells in the avian inner ear]

Does the ongoing proliferation of sensory cells occur in the postnatal avian inner ear? This question still awaits further investigation. 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) is a thymidine analogue that is incorporated into DNA during S phase of the cell cycle. Chickens were given intraperitoneal injections of BrdU at 100 ml/kg body weight. Six hours after injection, they were sacrificed and the temporal bones were removed and prepared for BrdU immunohistochemistry to examine mitotic activity in the inner ear. A small number of labeled hair cells and supporting cells were seen in the basilar papilla (BP). There is a low rate of ongoing production in the postnatal avian vestibular epithelium. The ongoing, postnatal proliferation of vestibular epithelial cell suggests that this epithelium has the potential for repair after degeneration, trauma or ototoxic damage.