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Updated: Oct 7, 2026

Selective Tracing of Auditory Fibers in the Avian Embryonic Vestibulocochlear Nerve
Published on: March 18, 2013
Roles of fibroblast growth factor 2 during innervation of the avian inner ear
E Carnicero1, J J Garrido, M T Alonso
1Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Universidad de Valladolid y Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Valladolid, Spain.
Abstract:
The importance of individual members of the fibroblast growth factor gene family during innervation of the vertebrate inner ear is not clearly defined. Here we address the role of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2 or basic FGF) during development of the chicken inner ear. We found that FGF-2 stimulated survival of isolated cochlear and vestibular neurons during distinct phases of inner ear innervation. The potential neurotrophic role of FGF-2 was confirmed by its expression in the corresponding sensory epithelia and the detection of one of its high-affinity receptors in inner ear neurons. Finally, we have analysed the potential of the amplicon system based on defective herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) vectors to express FGF-2 in cochlear neurons. Overexpression of FGF-2 in cochlear neurons resulted in neuronal differentiation demonstrating the presence of biologically active growth factor. This study underlines the potential of FGF-2 to control innervation and development of sensory epithelia in the avian inner ear. Furthermore, amplicon vectors may provide a useful tool to analyse gene function in isolated neurons of the vertebrate inner ear.
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