Immunohistochemistry localises myosin-7a to cochlear efferent boutons

Background: Myosin 7a is an actin-binding motor protein involved in the formation of hair-cell stereocilia both cochlea and vestibular system. Mutations myosin are linked to congenital hearing loss present 50% Type-1 Usher syndrome patients who suffer from progressive system dysfunction. Methods: often used visualise sensory hair cells due its well characterised localised expression profile. We thus conducted myosin-7a immunostaining across all three turns adult rat organ Corti cells. Results: As expected, we observed staining inner outer cells. Unexpectedly, also strong medial olivocochlear efferent synaptic boutons contacting Efferent bouton was cochlea. verified this localisation by co-staining with a known marker, vesicular acetylcholine transporter. Conclusions: In addition role maintenance, or certain variants might play transmission ultimately influence cochlear gain regulation. Our immunohistochemistry results should be validated other methods confirm these serendipitous findings.