Junctional complexes of the in vitro developed inner ear. A freeze fracture study.

The freeze fracture technique was used to study intercellular junctions of inner ear anlages developed in vitro. The 16th gestational day inner ear from the CBA/CBA mouse was cultured for 5 days whereafter the specimens were analyzed. Inner ears developed in vivo were used as controls. A considerable variation in the maturation of the tight junctional complexes occurred in both the vestibular and cochlear parts of the labyrinth. The sequential maturation of tight junctions and gap junctions showed the same structural features in the in vivo and the in vitro developed inner ears, although it seemed that the in vivo developed inner ears showed a slightly more overall mature morphology of tight junctions.