Decreased expression of calretinin and calbindin in the labyrinth of old gerbils

Calretinin and calbindin staining were compared in the vestibular periphery of old (35-48 months) and young (4-12 months) animals. Both stain calyx-only afferents; calbindin stains additional terminals in the apex [Brain Res. 928 (2002) 8-17]. In six of seven pairs of animals, calretinin and calbindin staining was diminished or absent in the old animals. These changes suggest that a reduction in certain calcium-binding proteins may be a characteristic of aging animals.