Auditory epithelial migration. III: An immunohistologic study using anti-BrdU antibody on tympanic membrane in mouse

A localization pattern of epidermal cells on the tympanic membrane (TM) and their migratory patterns were studied in mice, by means of immunohistologic technique using an anti-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) antibody. The BrdU was instilled intraperitoneally and the animals were painlessly sacrificed between 1 hour and 10 days after the injection. An immunostaining technique using anti-BrdU antibodies was applied on whole mount TM tissues. One hour after injection, BrdU-labeled cells were found in the handle of the malleus (HM) region and in the annular region of the pars tensa of the TM. Some labeled cells were observed in the intermediate region of the upper half of the superior quadrant, but no labeled cells were found in the remaining part of the intermediate region. Labeled cells were also evident in the pars flaccida without any particular pattern of distribution. As time elapsed after the injection, the labeled cells first appearing in the HM region had migrated laterally and inferiorly from the HM toward the annulus, while those in the annular region had considerably decreased in number. Results of the present study are the following: 1) the proliferation center of epidermal cells in the pars tensa is located in two different areas, i.e., the HM region and annular region, 2) newly generated cells in the HM region migrated from the HM region toward the annular region, whereas those in the annular region migrate from the the annular region to the external auditory canal, and 3) no specific generation center is located in the pars flaccida. On the basis of these results, we discuss the relationship between the site of the proliferation center of epidermal cells and their migratory patterns.