This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NFSC 82101224 to YG).&#160;The authors sincerely thank Dr. Teru Kamogashira, MD, PhD (Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan) for his critical intellectual guidance and conceptual contributions to this study. The original research framework was developed under his mentorship, and his insights profoundly shaped the direction of this work. We are deeply grateful for his ongoing academic support.&#160;

All animal experiments were approved (No. 2021-847) by the Xi&#39;an Jiaotong University Committee on the Use and Care of Animals.
1. Sterilization and material preparation
<ol>
	<li>Sterilize the dissection tools using high-temperature and high-pressure steam disinfection and dry them in a 50 &#176;C incubator overnight.</li>
	<li>Prepare 100 mL of the culture medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 10 mg/mL penicillin/streptomycin (add 10 mL of FBS and 10 &#181;L of penicillin stock solution to 90 mL of Dulbecco&#39;s Modified Eagle Medium (EMEM))in advance and store at 4 &#176;C.</li>
</ol>
2. Dissection and removal of the temporal bone for collection of auditory epithelia
<ol>
	<li>Euthanize a total number of 10 newborn mice (aged between P3 and P5) by decapitation on ice. Use an alternative, ethically approved methodology, if required.</li>
	<li>Hold the head in place, open the scalp along the sagittal suture using micro-operating scissors, and separate and fix the scalp bilaterally with the fingers, as shown in Figure 1A.</li>
	<li>Remove the brain using a small periosteal elevator and bisect the basal skull. Cut the cranium with scissors and flip forward to open the skull; use the tip of the scissors to scrape the brain and expose the base of the skull.</li>
	<li>Observe the bilateral temporal bones at the base of the skull (Figure 1C). Use scissors to cut the base of the skull along the midline, scrape away the skin, and remove any unnecessary bone (Figure 1D,D&#39;).</li>
	<li>Retain and transfer the temporal bones into 35 mm sterile Petri dishes containing fresh Hank&#39;s balanced salt solution (HBSS) (Figure 1E).</li>
	<li>Use two #5-pointed forceps to remove the bulla and surrounding tissue from the petrous portion of the temporal bone (Figure 1E). 
	NOTE: At this stage, the bony labyrinth in the temporal bone of the mice would not be completely calcified and would be easily dissected using forceps.</li>
	<li>Hold the forceps with one hand to fix the semicircular part of the temporal bone and stick the lower foot of the forceps into the round window niche with the other hand to separate the lateral bone of the cochlea from the scala vestibule. Carefully remove the petrous portion of the temporal bone without touching the OC epithelium. Subsequently, carefully separate and remove the bony labyrinth of the cochlea from the basal end to the apical end (Figure 1F).</li>
	<li>Carefully micro-isolate the organ of the Corti sensory epithelium from the modiolus using #5-pointed forceps (Figure 1G).</li>
	<li>Hold the spiral ligament, carefully separate it from the stria vascularis with micro-operating forceps, and transfer the clean auditory epithelium to a 3 mm sterile culture dish containing HBSS using a 200 &#181;L pipette (Figure 1H).</li>
	<li>Collect 20 specimens from each animal and quickly transfer them to a 100 mm sterile Petri dish containing HBSS for the next preparation step (Figure 1).</li>
</ol>
3. Enzymatic disaggregation for obtaining auditory hair cells
<ol>
	<li>Transfer the auditory epithelium to 10 mL of fresh DMEM containing 0.25% trypsin and incubate at 37 &#176;C for 12 min.</li>
	<li>Using a 200 &#181;L pipette tip, gently separate the hair cells from the basal lamina and other cells under an operating microscope.</li>
	<li>Add another 10 mL of culture medium to inhibit the disaggregation.</li>
	<li>Filter the suspended cells in the culture medium through a 70 &#181;m filter, collect the filtrate in a clean 50 mL tube, and centrifuge it at 300 &#215; g for 5 min.</li>
	<li>Resuspend the hair cells in at least 5 mL of culture medium by gently pipetting them up and down using a 1,000 &#181;L pipette tip. Avoid introducing bubbles.</li>
	<li>Place a coverslip at the bottom of a six-well plate in advance. Count the cells and culture them at a density of 106 cells/mL in six-well plates.</li>
	<li>Grow the adherent cells in 2 mL of DMEM (containing 10% of FBS, 100 units/mL of penicillin, and 100 &#181;g/mL of streptomycin) at 37 &#176;C and 5% CO2. Change the culture medium every day. 
	&#8203;NOTE: It should be mentioned that using this protocol does not result in obtaining pure hair cells. Based on this primary cell culture method, we recommend using d2 or d3 cells for further studies, as hair cells might constitute approximately 70% of cells in culture and be in a good state.</li>
</ol>
4. Immunofluorescent staining
<ol>
	<li>Harvest the cultured cells from d1 to d6 (one well per day). Aspirate the culture medium and rinse cells 2x with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS).</li>
	<li>Fix cells with 4% paraformaldehyde for 15 min at room temperature (RT).</li>
	<li>Remove the fixative and rinse cells for 3 x 3 min with PBS.</li>
	<li>Permeabilize the cells with PBS containing 0.2% Triton X-100 for 10 min at RT.</li>
	<li>Incubate the permeabilized cells with a blocking solution consisting of 10% FBS in PBS for 20 min at RT.</li>
	<li>Stain the cells with anti-myosin monoclonal antibody (diluted at 1:200 in PBS) at 4 &#176;C overnight.</li>
	<li>Wash the cells 3x with sterile PBS and incubate them with secondary antibody (Alexa Fluor 594 goat anti-rabbit MYO7A, diluted 1:500 in PBS) and fluorescein-labeled phalloidin (Alexa Fluor 488, to identify cell structure) for 2 h at RT.</li>
	<li>Rinse the cells 3x with PBS to remove the secondary antibodies.</li>
	<li>Add 1-2 drops of mounting medium with DAPI onto the slides, mount the coverslips, and place them under a laser scanning confocal microscope to capture photos of the cells.</li>
</ol>
5. Statistical analysis
<ol>
	<li>Perform two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey&#39;s post hoc tests to analyze the changes in the grey values of myosin-VIIa and phalloidin over time. Use the letter marking method to mark statistical differences.</li>
	<li>Perform additional one-way ANOVAs followed by Tukey&#39;s post-hoc tests to compare the phalloidin-positive cell ratio between cell samples from day 1 to day 6 and the myosin-VII-positive cell ratio on the same days.</li>
</ol>

Efficient In Vitro Cultivation of Mouse Cochlear Hair Cells

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	<li>Tani, T., Koike-Tani, M., Tran, M. T., Shribak, M., Levic, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Postnatal+structural+development+of+mammalian+Basilar+Membrane+provides+anatomical+basis+for+the+maturation+of+tonotopic+maps+and+frequency+tuning.">Postnatal structural development of mammalian Basilar Membrane provides anatomical basis for the maturation of tonotopic maps and frequency tuning.</a> Sci Rep. 11 (1), 7581 (2021).</li><li>Goutman, J. D., Elgoyhen, A. B., Gomez-Casati, M. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cochlear+hair+cells:+The+sound-sensing+machines.">Cochlear hair cells: The sound-sensing machines.</a> FEBS Lett. 589 (22), 3354-3361 (2015).</li><li>Joo, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Contribution+of+Ototoxic+Medications+to+Hearing+Loss+Among+Older+Adults.">The Contribution of Ototoxic Medications to Hearing Loss Among Older Adults.</a> J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 75 (3), 561-566 (2020).</li><li>Nieman, C. L., Oh, E. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hearing+Loss.">Hearing Loss.</a> Ann Intern Med. 173 (11), ITC81-ITC96 (2020).</li><li>Mao, H., Chen, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Noise-Induced+Hearing+Loss:+Updates+on+Molecular+Targets+and+Potential+Interventions.">Noise-Induced Hearing Loss: Updates on Molecular Targets and Potential Interventions.</a> Neural Plast. 2021, 4784385 (2021).</li><li>Morioka, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hearing+vulnerability+after+noise+exposure+in+a+mouse+model+of+reactive+oxygen+species+overproduction.">Hearing vulnerability after noise exposure in a mouse model of reactive oxygen species overproduction.</a> J Neurochem. 146 (4), 459-473 (2018).</li><li>Liu, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+and+cytological+profiling+of+biological+aging+of+mouse+cochlear+inner+and+outer+hair+cells.">Molecular and cytological profiling of biological aging of mouse cochlear inner and outer hair cells.</a> Cell Rep. 39 (2), 110665 (2022).</li><li>Ogier, J. M., Burt, R. A., Drury, H. R., Lim, R., Nayagam, B. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organotypic+Culture+of+Neonatal+Murine+Inner+Ear+Explants.">Organotypic Culture of Neonatal Murine Inner Ear Explants.</a> Front Cell Neurosci. 13, 170 (2019).</li><li>Ding, D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cisplatin+ototoxicity+in+rat+cochlear+organotypic+cultures.">Cisplatin ototoxicity in rat cochlear organotypic cultures.</a> Hear Res. 282 (1-2), 196-203 (2011).</li><li>Abitbol, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cisplatin-induced+ototoxicity+in+organotypic+cochlear+cultures+occurs+independent+of+gap+junctional+intercellular+communication.">Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in organotypic cochlear cultures occurs independent of gap junctional intercellular communication.</a> Cell Death Dis. 11 (5), 342 (2020).</li><li>Li, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Myosin-VIIa+is+expressed+in+multiple+isoforms+and+essential+for+tensioning+the+hair+cell+mechanotransduction+complex.">Myosin-VIIa is expressed in multiple isoforms and essential for tensioning the hair cell mechanotransduction complex.</a> Nat Commun. 11 (1), 2066 (2020).</li><li>Kalinec, G. M., Park, C., Thein, P., Kalinec, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Working+with+auditory+HEI-OC1+cells.">Working with auditory HEI-OC1 cells.</a> J Vis Exp. (115), (2016).</li><li>Montgomery, S. C., Cox, B. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Whole+mount+dissection+and+immunofluorescence+of+the+adult+mouse+cochlea.">Whole mount dissection and immunofluorescence of the adult mouse cochlea.</a> J Vis Exp. (107), (2016).</li><li>Xu, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identification+of+mouse+cochlear+progenitors+that+develop+hair+and+supporting+cells+in+the+organ+of+Corti.">Identification of mouse cochlear progenitors that develop hair and supporting cells in the organ of Corti.</a> Nat Commun. 8, 15046 (2017).</li><li>Zheng, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Prestin+is+the+motor+protein+of+cochlear+outer+hair+cells.">Prestin is the motor protein of cochlear outer hair cells.</a> Nature. 405 (6783), 149-155 (2000).</li><li>Ruel, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impairment+of+SLC17A8+encoding+vesicular+glutamate+transporter-3,+VGLUT3,+underlies+nonsyndromic+deafness+DFNA25+and+inner+hair+cell+dysfunction+in+null+mice.">Impairment of SLC17A8 encoding vesicular glutamate transporter-3, VGLUT3, underlies nonsyndromic deafness DFNA25 and inner hair cell dysfunction in null mice.</a> Am J Hum Genet. 83 (2), 278-292 (2008).</li><li>Seal, R. P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sensorineural+deafness+and+seizures+in+mice+lacking+vesicular+glutamate+transporter+3.">Sensorineural deafness and seizures in mice lacking vesicular glutamate transporter 3.</a> Neuron. 57 (2), 263-275 (2008).</li><li>Luo, Z., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Three+distinct+Atoh1+enhancers+cooperate+for+sound+receptor+hair+cell+development.">Three distinct Atoh1 enhancers cooperate for sound receptor hair cell development.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 119 (32), e2119850119 (2022).</li><li>Kalinec, G., Thein, P., Park, C., Kalinec, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=HEI-OC1+cells+as+a+model+for+investigating+drug+cytotoxicity.">HEI-OC1 cells as a model for investigating drug cytotoxicity.</a> Hear Res. 335, 105-117 (2016).</li></ol>

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Compared with the HEI-OC1 cell line, primary cultures of hair cells more accurately replicated the physiological state of cells in vivo. Therefore, the auditory primary culture method established by isolating living cells from cochlear organs and immediately culturing them appears to be a valuable tool for extensive research on auditory systems. Certain techniques are crucial for a successful culture. First, minimizing the duration of separation of the organ of Corti from the temporal bone enhances the likelihood of sust...

Cochlear hair cells play important roles in sound detection and signal transmission to the auditory nerve. Hair cells are mechanistic cells that function as primary sensory receptors and convert sound vibrations into electrical signals in vertebrates. The sensory epithelium of the mammalian inner ear comprises a single row of inner hair cells and three rows of outer hair cells. In different basic membrane areas, hair cells perceive sounds at different frequencies (between 20 and 2,000 Hz)1. The function of outer hair cells is an active mechanical amplification process that helps fine-tune the mammalian inner ear, conferring high sensitivity to sound. Inner hair cells are responsible for detecting sounds. After graded depolarization, acoustic information is transmitted to the brain through the auditory nerve fibers2.
Hearing loss may be caused by genetic defects, aging, noise trauma, or the excessive use of ototoxic drugs, which constitute a major health concern worldwide3,4. Hearing loss mainly results from irreversible damage to hair cells5. Regarding noise-induced hearing loss, although researchers have reached a consensus on several details of its etiology, a comprehensive understanding of the numerous underlying mechanisms is lacking. Outer hair cells are particularly vulnerable to acoustic overexposure6. Mechanosensitive cochlear hair cells are involved in age-related hearing loss; however, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying hair cell degeneration remain unknown. Several changes in the molecular processes lead to hair cell aging, oxidative stress, DNA damage response, autophagy, and dysregulation of the expression and transcription of genes related to hair cell specialization7.
As the inner ear is encased in the temporal bone, deep in the hardest bone of the body, it is experimentally inaccessible, posing a challenge to investigations into the mechanisms of hair cell repair and regeneration. Hence, establishing in vitro cultures for investigating the function of hair cells has become an ideal method for research on the regeneration and injury mechanisms of the inner ear. The procedures for preparing cochlear organotypic cultures have been described in earlier studies8,9,10. Investigators worldwide have employed various cochlear microdissection and surface preparation techniques. Despite the persistent challenges, various primary hair cell culture systems have been successfully established in vitro. Cochlear organ cultures contain various cell types, including hair cells, Deiters cells, Hensen&#39;s cells, pillar cells, and auditory nerve fibers. An in-depth understanding of the changes in hair cells at the cellular and molecular levels after injury will enable the development of more powerful research tools. This study aimed to demonstrate the steps for isolating cochlear organs from neonatal mice and enzymatically detaching the abundant hair cells for in vitro studies. The nature of the cultured cells was confirmed using immunofluorescence staining.

<table><tbody><tr><td>100 mm BioLite cell culture dish</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>130182</td><td>using for culture</td></tr><tr><td>35 mm Nunc cell culture dish</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>150318</td><td>using for culture</td></tr><tr><td>6-well palate</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>310109005</td><td>using for culture</td></tr><tr><td>70 &amp;micro;m cell strainers</td><td>BD Company</td><td>352350</td><td>using for filter</td></tr><tr><td>Alexa Fluor 488 Phalloidin</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>A12379</td><td>immunofluorescent staining</td></tr><tr><td>Anti-rabbit IgG Alexa Fluor 488</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientifc</td><td>A11008</td><td>immunofluorescent staining</td></tr><tr><td>day 3-5 neonatal murine&amp;nbsp;</td><td></td><td></td><td>provided by Xi&#039;an Jiaotong University</td></tr><tr><td>Dulbecco&amp;rsquo;s Modified Eagle Medium</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>11965092</td><td>using for culture</td></tr><tr><td>Fetal Bovine Serum</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>12483020</td><td>using for culture</td></tr><tr><td>Forceps</td><td>Dumont</td><td>5#</td><td>using for dissection</td></tr><tr><td>Leica anatomy microscope</td><td>Germany</td><td>S9i</td><td>using for dissection</td></tr><tr><td>Penicillin/streptomycin</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>15140-122</td><td>using for culture</td></tr><tr><td>Rabbit plyclonal to Myosin VIIa</td><td>Abcam company</td><td>ab92996</td><td>immunofluorescent staining</td></tr><tr><td>Scissor</td><td>Belevor</td><td>10cm/04.0524.10</td><td>using for dissection</td></tr><tr><td>Triton X-100</td><td>Sigma Aldrich&amp;nbsp;</td><td>9036-19-5</td><td>immunofluorescent staining</td></tr><tr><td>Trypsin</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>25200072</td><td>using for culture</td></tr></tbody></table>

isolation and culture of primary cochlear hair cells from neonatal mice

Cochlear hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system. These cells are located in the organ of Corti, the sensory organ responsible for hearing, within the osseous labyrinth of the inner ear. Cochlear hair cells consist of two anatomically and functionally distinct types: outer and inner hair cells. Damage to either of them results in hearing loss. Notably, as inner hair cells cannot regenerate, and damage to them is permanent. Hence, in vitro cultivation of primary hair cells is indispensable for investigating the protective or regenerative effects of cochlear hair cells. This study aimed to discover a method for isolating and cultivating mouse hair cells. 
After manual removal of the cochlear lateral wall, the auditory epithelium was meticulously dissected from the cochlear modiolus under a microscope, incubated in a mixture consisting of 0.25% trypsin-EDTA for 10 min at 37 &#176;C, and gently suspended in culture medium using a 200 &#181;L pipette tip. The cell suspension was passed through a cell filter, the filtrate was centrifuged, and cells were cultured in 24-well plates. Hair cells were identified based on their capacity to express a mechanotransduction complex, myosin-VIIa, which is involved in motor tensions, and via selective labeling of F-actin using phalloidin. Cells reached &gt;90% confluence after 4 d in culture. This method can enhance our understanding of the biological characteristics of in vitro cultured hair cells and demonstrate the efficiency of cochlear hair cell cultures, establishing a solid methodological foundation for further auditory research.

Following this protocol, we seeded the isolated cells. Primary cochlear hair cell seeds were considered successful if the cells did not float in the culture medium and spread within 24 h. We determined the number of hair cells after they adhered and spread into flat aggregates at the bottom of the dish. After 1 day, live hair cells were tightly adhered to the bottom of the culture dish and non-adherent cells were removed by rinsing with PBS. Typically, the number of cells doubled after 3 d of culture (<strong class="xfig...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Advancements in Cultivating Mouse Hair Cells for Auditory Research at JoVE.com

Author Spotlight: Advancements in Cultivating Mouse Hair Cells for Auditory Research 

Herein, we present a detailed protocol for isolating and culturing primary cochlear hair cells from mice. Initially, the organ of Corti was dissected from neonatal (aged 3-5 days) murine cochleae under a microscope. Subsequently, cells were enzymatically digested into a single-cell suspension and identified using immunofluorescence after several days in culture.

Isolation and Culture of Primary Cochlear Hair Cells from Neonatal Mice

Cochlear hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system. These cells are located in the organ of Corti, the sensory organ responsible for ...

isolation-culture-primary-cochlear-hair-cells-from-neonatal

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

2.1K Views.  The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University. Herein, we present a detailed protocol for isolating and culturing primary cochlear hair cells from mice. Initially, the organ of Corti was dissected from neonatal (aged 3-5 days) murine cochleae under a microscope. Subsequently, cells were enzymatically digested into a single-cell suspension and identified using immunofluorescence after several days in culture. 

Video: Author Spotlight: Advancements in Cultivating Mouse Hair Cells for Auditory Research 

Culture of Embryonic Mouse Cochlear Explants and Gene Transfer by Electroporation

Auditory hair cells located within the mouse organ of Corti detect and transmit sound information to the central nervous system. The mechanosensory hair cells are aligned in one row of inner hair cells and three rows of outer hair cells that extend along the basal to apical axis of the cochlea. The explant culture technique described here provides an efficient method to isolate and maintain cochlear explants from the embryonic mouse inner ear. Also, the morphology and molecular characteristics of sensory hair cells and nonsensory supporting cells within the cochlear explant cultures resemble those observed in vivo and can be studied within its intrinsic cellular environment. The cochlear explants can serve as important experimental tools for the identification and characterization of molecular and genetic pathways that are involved in cellular specification and patterning. Although transgenic mouse models provide an effective approach for gene expression studies, a considerable number of mouse mutants die during embryonic development thereby hindering the analysis and interpretation of developmental phenotypes. The organ of Corti from mutant mice that die before birth can be cultured so that their in vitro development and responses to different factors can be analyzed. Additionally, we describe a technique for electroporating embryonic cochlear explants ex vivo which can be used to downregulate or overexpress specific gene(s) and analyze their potential endogenous function and test whether specific gene product is necessary or sufficient in a given context to influence mammalian cochlear development1-8.

We present a method that describes isolation and culture of cochlear explants from embryonic mouse inner ear. We also demonstrate a method for gene transfer into cochlear explants via square-wave electroporation. The in vitro explant culture coupled with gene transfer technique enables researchers to study the effects of altering gene expression during development.

Auditory hair cells located within the mouse organ of Corti detect and transmit sound information to the central nervous system. The mechanosensory hair ...

Developmental Biology

Isolating LacZ-expressing Cells from Mouse Inner Ear Tissues using Flow Cytometry

Isolation of specific cell types allows one to analyze rare cell populations such as stem/progenitor cells. Such an approach to studying inner ear tissues presents a unique challenge because of the paucity of cells of interest and few transgenic reporter mouse models. Here, we describe a protocol using fluorescence-conjugated probes to selectively label LacZ-positive cells from the neonatal cochleae.
The most common underlying pathology of sensorineural hearing loss is the irreversible damage and loss of cochlear sensory hair cells, which are required to transduce sound waves to neural impulses. Recent evidence suggests that the murine auditory and vestibular organs harbor stem/progenitor cells that may have regenerative potential1,2. These findings warrant further investigation, including identifying specific cell types with stem/progenitor cell characteristics. The Wnt signaling pathway has been demonstrated to play a critical role in maintaining stem/progenitor cell populations in several organ systems3-7. We have recently identified Wnt-responsive Axin2-expressing cells in the neonatal cochlea, but their function is largely unknown8.
To better understand the behavior of these Wnt-responsive cells in vitro, we have developed a method of isolating Axin2-expressing cells from cochleae of Axin2-LacZ reporter mice9. Using flow cytometry to isolate Axin2-LacZ positive cells from the neonatal cochleae, we could in turn execute a variety of experiments on live cells to interrogate their behavior as stem/progenitor cells. Here, we describe in detail the steps for the microdissection of neonatal cochlea, dissociation of these tissues, labeling of the LacZ-positive cells using a fluorogenic substrate, and cell sorting. Techniques for dissociating cochleae into single cells and isolating cochlear cells via flow cytometry have been described2,10-12. We have made modifications to these techniques to establish a novel protocol to isolate LacZ-expressing cells from the neonatal cochlea.

Flow cytometry is a powerful tool allowing for the isolation and study of specific cell populations. This protocol describes steps for isolating LacZ-expressing cells from cochlear tissues from neonatal transgenic mice. Dissociated cochlear cells were labeled using fluorescent-conjugated substrates of &#946;-galactosidase prior to separation via flow cytometry.

Isolation of specific cell types allows one to analyze rare cell populations such as stem/progenitor cells. Such an approach to studying inner ear tissues ...

Neuroscience

Primary Culture and Plasmid Electroporation of the Murine Organ of Corti. 

In all mammals, the sensory epithelium for audition is located along the spiraling organ of Corti that resides within the conch shaped cochlea of the inner ear (fig 1). Hair cells in the developing cochlea, which are the mechanosensory cells of the auditory system, are aligned in one row of inner hair cells and three (in the base and mid-turns) to four (in the apical turn) rows of outer hair cells that span the length of the organ of Corti. Hair cells transduce sound-induced mechanical vibrations of the basilar membrane into neural impulses that the brain can interpret. Most cases of sensorineural hearing loss are caused by death or dysfunction of cochlear hair cells.
An increasingly essential tool in auditory research is the isolation and in vitro culture of the organ explant 1,2,9. Once isolated, the explants may be utilized in several ways to provide information regarding normative, anomalous, or therapeutic physiology. Gene expression, stereocilia motility, cell and molecular biology, as well as biological approaches for hair cell regeneration are examples of experimental applications of organ of Corti explants.
This protocol describes a method for the isolation and culture of the organ of Corti from neonatal mice. The accompanying video includes stepwise directions for the isolation of the temporal bone from mouse pups, and subsequent isolation of the cochlea, spiral ligament, and organ of Corti. Once isolated, the sensory epithelium can be plated and cultured in vitro in its entirety, or as a further dissected micro-isolate that lacks the spiral limbus and spiral ganglion neurons. Using this method, primary explants can be maintained for 7-10 days. As an example of the utility of this procedure, organ of Corti explants will be electroporated with an exogenous DsRed reporter gene. This method provides an improvement over other published methods because it provides reproducible, unambiguous, and stepwise directions for the isolation, microdissection, and primary culture of the organ of Corti.

Primary Culture and Plasmid Electroporation of the Murine Organ of Corti.

This procedure describes a method for the isolation and culture of the murine organ of Corti with or without the spiral limbus and spiral ganglion neurons. We also demonstrate a method for the expression of an exogenous reporter gene in the organ of Corti explant by electroporation.

In all mammals, the sensory epithelium for audition is located along the spiraling organ of Corti that resides within the conch shaped cochlea of the ...

Whole Mount Dissection and Immunofluorescence of the Adult Mouse Cochlea

The organ of Corti, housed in the cochlea of the inner ear, contains mechanosensory hair cells and surrounding supporting cells which are organized in a spiral shape and have a tonotopic gradient for sound detection. The mouse cochlea is approximately 6 mm long and often divided into three turns (apex, middle, and base) for analysis. To investigate cell loss, cell division, or mosaic gene expression, the whole mount or surface preparation of the cochlea is useful. This dissection method allows visualization of all cells within the organ of Corti when combined with immunostaining and confocal microscopy to image cells at different planes in the z-axis. Multiple optical cross-sections can also be obtained from these z-stack images. In addition, the whole mount dissection method can be used for scanning electron microscopy, although a different fixation method is needed. Here, we present a method to isolate the organ of Corti as three intact cochlear turns (apex, middle, and base). This method can be used for mice ranging from one week of age through adulthood and differs from the technique used for neonatal samples where calcification of the cochlea is incomplete. A slightly modified version can be used for dissection of the rat cochlea. We also demonstrate a procedure for immunostaining with fluorescently tagged antibodies.

We present a method to isolate the adult organ of Corti as three intact cochlear turns (apex, middle, and base). We also demonstrate a procedure for immunostaining with fluorescently tagged antibodies. Together these techniques allow the study of hair cells, supporting cells, and other cell types found in the cochlea.

The organ of Corti, housed in the cochlea of the inner ear, contains mechanosensory hair cells and surrounding supporting cells which are organized in a ...

Evaluation of Planar-Cell-Polarity Phenotypes in Ciliopathy Mouse Mutant Cochlea

In recent years, primary cilia have emerged as key regulators in development and disease by influencing numerous signaling pathways. One of the earliest signaling pathways shown to be associated with ciliary function was the non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway, also referred to as planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling. One of the best places in which to study the effects of planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling during vertebrate development is the mammalian cochlea. PCP signaling disruption in the mouse cochlea disrupts cochlear outgrowth, cellular patterning and hair cell orientation, all of which are affected by cilia dysfunction. The goal of this protocol is to describe the analysis of PCP signaling in the developing mammalian cochlea via phenotypic analysis, immunohistochemistry and scanning electron microscopy. Defects in convergence and extension are manifested as a shortening of the cochlear duct and/or changes in cellular patterning, which can be quantified following dissection from developing mouse mutants. Changes in stereociliary bundle orientation and kinocilia length or positioning can be observed and quantitated using either immunofluorescence or scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A deeper insight into the role of ciliary proteins in cellular signaling pathways and other biological phenomena is crucial for our understanding of cellular and developmental biology, as well as for the development of targeted treatment strategies.

Primary cilia influence various signaling pathways. The mammalian cochlea is ideal for examining planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling. Cilia dysfunction affects cochlear outgrowth, cellular patterning and hair cell orientation, readouts of PCP. Our goal is to analyze PCP signaling in mouse cochlea via phenotypic analysis, immunohistochemistry and scanning electron microscopy.

In recent years, primary cilia have emerged as key regulators in development and disease by influencing numerous signaling pathways. One of the earliest ...

Medicine

Spinal Cord Neurons Isolation and Culture from Neonatal Mice

We present a protocol for the isolation and culture of spinal cord neurons. The neurons are obtained from neonatal C57BL/6 mice and are isolated on postnatal day 1-3. A mouse litter, usually 4-10 pups born from one breeding pair, is gathered for one experiment, and spinal cords are collected individually from each mouse after euthanasia with isoflurane. The spinal column is dissected out and then the spinal cord is released from the column. The spinal cords are then minced to increase the surface area of delivery for an enzymatic protease that allows for the neurons and other cells to be released from the tissue. Trituration is then used to release the cells into solution. This solution is subsequently fractionated in a density gradient to separate the various cells in solution, allowing for neurons to be isolated. Approximately 1-2.5 x 106 neurons can be isolated from one litter group. The neurons are then seeded onto wells coated with adhesive factors that allow for proper growth and maturation. The neurons take approximately 7 days to reach maturity in the growth and culture medium and can be used thereafter for treatment and analysis.

This study presents a technique for the isolation of neurons from WT neonatal mice. It requires the careful dissection of the spinal cord from the neonatal mouse, followed by the separation of neurons from the spinal cord tissue through mechanical and enzymatic cleavage.

We present a protocol for the isolation and culture of spinal cord neurons. The neurons are obtained from neonatal C57BL/6 mice and are isolated on ...

Neonatal Murine Cochlear Explant Technique as an In Vitro Screening Tool in Hearing Research

While there have been remarkable advances in hearing research over the past few decades, there is still no cure for Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL), a condition that typically involves damage to or loss of the delicate mechanosensory structures of the inner ear. Sophisticated in vitro and ex vivo assays have emerged in recent years, enabling the screening of an increasing number of potentially therapeutic compounds while minimizing resources and accelerating efforts to develop cures for SNHL. Though homogenous cultures of certain cell types continue to play an important role in current research, many scientists now rely on more complex organotypic cultures of murine inner ears, also known as cochlear explants. The preservation of organized cellular structures within the inner ear facilitates the in situ evaluation of various components of the cochlear infrastructure, including inner and outer hair cells, spiral ganglion neurons, neurites, and supporting cells. Here we present the preparation, culture, treatment, and immunostaining of neonatal murine cochlear explants. The careful preparation of these explants facilitates the identification of mechanisms that contribute to SNHL and constitutes a valuable tool for the hearing research community.

Neonatal Murine Cochlear Explant Technique as an In Vitro Screening Tool in Hearing Research

The goal of this protocol is to demonstrate the preparation, culture, treatment, and immunostaining of neonatal murine cochlear explants. The technique can be utilized as an in vitro screening tool in hearing research.

While there have been remarkable advances in hearing research over the past few decades, there is still no cure for Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL), a ...

Isolation and Culture of Neonatal Mouse Cardiomyocytes

Cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes have long been used to study myofibrillogenesis and myofibrillar functions. Cultured cardiomyocytes allow for easy investigation and manipulation of biochemical pathways, and their effect on the biomechanical properties of spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes.	
The following 2-day protocol describes the isolation and culture of neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. We show how to easily dissect hearts from neonates, dissociate the cardiac tissue and enrich cardiomyocytes from the cardiac cell-population. We discuss the usage of different enzyme mixes for cell-dissociation, and their effects on cell-viability. The isolated cardiomyocytes can be subsequently used for a variety of morphological, electrophysiological, biochemical, cell-biological or biomechanical assays. We optimized the protocol for robustness and reproducibility, by using only commercially available solutions and enzyme mixes that show little lot-to-lot variability. We also address common problems associated with the isolation and culture of cardiomyocytes, and offer a variety of options for the optimization of isolation and culture conditions.

Primary mouse cardiomyocyte cultures are one of the pivotal tools for the investigation of myofibrillar organization and function. The following protocol describes the isolation and culture of primary cardiomyocytes from neonatal mouse hearts. The resulting cardiomyocyte cultures may be subsequently used for a variety of biomechanical, biochemical and cell-biological assays.

Cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes have long been used to study  myofibrillogenesis and myofibrillar functions. Cultured cardiomyocytes allow  for easy ...

Cochlear Surface Preparation in the Adult Mouse

Auditory processing in the cochlea depends on the integrity of the mechanosensory hair cells. Over a lifetime, hearing loss can be acquired from numerous etiologies such as exposure to excessive noise, the use of ototoxic medications, bacterial or viral ear infections, head injuries, and the aging process. Loss of sensory hair cells is a common pathological feature of the varieties of acquired hearing loss. Additionally, the inner hair cell synapse can be damaged by mild insults. Therefore, surface preparations of cochlear epithelia, in combination with immunolabeling techniques and confocal imagery, are a very useful tool for the investigation of cochlear pathologies, including losses of ribbon synapses and sensory hair cells, changes in protein levels in hair cells and supporting cells, hair cell regeneration, and determination of report gene expression (i.e., GFP) for verification of successful transduction and identification of transduced cell types. The cochlea, a bony spiral-shaped structure in the inner ear, holds the auditory sensory end organ, the organ of Corti (OC). Sensory hair cells and surrounding supporting cells in the OC are contained in the cochlear duct and rest on the basilar membrane, organized in a tonotopic fashion with high-frequency detection occurring in the base and low-frequency in the apex. With the availability of molecular and genetic information and the ability to manipulate genes by knockout and knock-in techniques, mice have been widely used in biological research, including in hearing science. However, the adult mouse cochlea is miniscule, and the cochlear epithelium is encapsulated in a bony labyrinth, making microdissection difficult. Although dissection techniques have been developed and used in many laboratories, this modified microdissection method using cell and tissue adhesive is easier and more convenient. It can be used in all types of adult mouse cochleae following decalcification.

This article presents a modified cochlear surface preparation method that requires decalcification and use of a cell and tissue adhesive to adhere the pieces of cochlear epithelia to 10 mm round cover slips for immunohistochemistry in adult mouse cochleae.

Auditory processing in the cochlea depends on the integrity of the mechanosensory hair cells. Over a lifetime, hearing loss can be acquired from numerous ...

Whole Neonatal Cochlear Explants as an In vitro Model

Untreated hearing loss imposes significant costs on the global healthcare system and impairs individuals' quality of life. Sensorineural hearing loss is characterized by the cumulative and irreversible loss of sensory hair cells and auditory nerves in the cochlea. Entire and vital cochlear explants are one of the fundamental tools in hearing research to detect hair cell loss and to characterize the molecular mechanisms of the inner ear cells. Many years ago, a protocol for neonatal cochlear isolation was developed, and although it has been modified over time, it still holds potential for improvement. 
This paper presents an optimized protocol for isolating and culturing whole neonatal cochlear explants in multi-well culture chambers that enables the study of hair cells and spiral ganglion neuron cells along the entire length of the cochlea. The protocol was tested using cochlear explants from mice and rats. Healthy cochlear explants were obtained to study the interaction between hair cells, spiral ganglion neuron cells, and the surrounding supporting cells. 
One of the main advantages of this method is that it simplifies the organ culture steps without compromising the quality of the explants. All three turns of the organ of Corti are attached to the bottom of the chamber, which facilitates in vitro experiments and the comprehensive analysis of the explants. We provide some examples of cochlear images from different experiments with live and fixed explants, demonstrating that the explants retain their structure despite exposure to ototoxic drugs. This optimized protocol can be widely used for the integrative analysis of the mammalian cochlea.

Whole Neonatal Cochlear Explants as an In vitro Model

The current protocol updates previous protocols and incorporates relatively straightforward approaches for culturing high-quality cochlear explants. This provides reliable data acquisition and high-resolution imaging in live and fixed cells. This protocol supports the ongoing trend of studying inner ear cells.

Untreated hearing loss imposes significant costs on the global healthcare system and impairs individuals' quality of life. Sensorineural hearing loss is ...

Isolation and Culture of Primary Cochlear Hair Cells from Neonatal Mice

Summary

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Chapters in this video

Culture of Embryonic Mouse Cochlear Explants and Gene Transfer by Electroporation

Isolating LacZ-expressing Cells from Mouse Inner Ear Tissues using Flow Cytometry

Primary Culture and Plasmid Electroporation of the Murine Organ of Corti.

Whole Mount Dissection and Immunofluorescence of the Adult Mouse Cochlea

Evaluation of Planar-Cell-Polarity Phenotypes in Ciliopathy Mouse Mutant Cochlea

Spinal Cord Neurons Isolation and Culture from Neonatal Mice

Neonatal Murine Cochlear Explant Technique as an In Vitro Screening Tool in Hearing Research

Isolation and Culture of Neonatal Mouse Cardiomyocytes

Cochlear Surface Preparation in the Adult Mouse

Whole Neonatal Cochlear Explants as an In vitro Model