Localization of nerve growth factor receptor in developing inner ear of rats

NGFR-immunoreactivity was first detected in the epithelia of the otic placode at E 10 and the entire epithelium of the otic vesicles was NGFR-immunoreactive at E 11. At this stage no nerve fibers were present in the epithelia and the immunoreactivity was confined to portions of the otic epithelium where the immunoreactive nerve bundles penetrated. As the development proceeded and the organ of Corti was matured, NGFR-immunoreactivity was localized on the plasma membrane of intraepithelial nerve fibers, that of adjacent epithelial cells apposed to the nerve fibers, and apical microvillous membrane of the supporting cells directly apposed to the hair cells. The occurrence of NGFR-immunoreactivity in the otic epithelial cells from early stages of development suggests that NGFR in the epithelia might provide a means to concentrate NGF on the cells which would become the substratum for growing nerve fibers in development. Furthermore, the specific appearance of NGFR-immunoreactivity in the apical microvillous membrane of the maturing supporting cells implies that NGF secreted into the endolymph from somewhere in the otic epithelia may exert some, yet to be defined effects on the supporting cells in the maturation of the organ of Corti.