Nakahara H, Bevelander G
Anat Rec. 1979 Feb;193(2):233-41. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091930205.
The ultrathin sections of the developing otolith of mouse fetuses 15.5 days to 20 days after birth were observed with the aid of the electron microscope. The first step of otolith formation is an aggregation of organic clusters observed in the sacculus of the 15.5-day fetus. These organic structures are modified and assume a hexagonal shape in the 17.5-day fetus. The unmineralized stages of the otolith referred to as the preotolith, serve as the template for future development. One day after birth, at either end of the preotolith, minute tube-like structures develop in which needle-shaped crystallites are initiated. Crystallites continue to develop throughout the hexagonal template which gave rise to a structure containing many regularly arranged needle-shaped crystallites. Based on the present observations, the mouse otolith is considered a multi-iso-oriented crystal.
借助电子显微镜观察了出生后15.5天至20天的小鼠胎儿发育中的耳石超薄切片。耳石形成的第一步是在15.5天大的胎儿的球囊中观察到有机簇的聚集。这些有机结构在17.5天大的胎儿中发生改变并呈六边形。耳石的未矿化阶段称为前耳石，作为未来发育的模板。出生后一天，在前耳石的两端会形成微小的管状结构，针状微晶在其中开始形成。微晶在整个六边形模板中持续发育，形成了一个包含许多规则排列的针状微晶的结构。基于目前的观察结果，小鼠耳石被认为是一种多晶取向晶体。
