New insights in mammalian auditory organ development

Although the structure of the auditory organ in mature mammals, the organ of Corti, is clearly established, its development is far from being elucidated. Using cytochemical and immunohistochemical methods at the light and electron microscope levels, we examined its spatiotemporal development in rats from embryonic day 16 (E16) to E19.
At E16, whatever the region of the cochlear studied (base, middle, apex), the organ of Corti was not present. We demonstrate that the organ of Corti develops from a non-proliferative cell zone that is located in the junctional region between the greater epithelial ridge and the lesser epithelial ridge of the cochlear duct and that is characterized by the presence of numerous microvilli. Using the periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate method, we revealed that the first cells to develop in this zone are the inner pillar cells, a particular type of nonsensory supporting cells. They arise in the base of the cochlear duct at the boundary between the two ridges at E16. The cell differentiation in this prosensory region continues according to a base-to-apex gradient, the inner hair cells appearing in the greater epithelial ridge at E17 and the outer hair cells in the lesser epithelial ridge at E18. At E19, all the different cell types of the organ of Corti are well in place. We also showed that the development of the inner pillar cells within the prosensory region does not involve Notch1 signaling. These results highlight the central role that the inner pillar cells could play in the development of the organ of Corti.