Fig. 4
Ampullary organs express genes required for transmission at the hair cell ribbon synapse.
In situ hybridization at stage 46 reveals expression in both ampullary organs and neuromasts of: (A) Slc17a8, encoding the vesicular glutamate transporter 3 (Vglut3); (B) Otof, encoding otoferlin; (C) Cacna1d, encoding the pore-forming alpha subunit of Cav1.3; (D) Cacnb2, encoding an auxiliary beta subunit that is associated with Cav1.3 in hair cells - note that the level of Cacnb2 in neuromasts is weaker than in ampullary organs; (E) Rims2, associated with synaptic ribbons in photoreceptors and hair cells; (F) the Ribeye-specific A domain of Ctbp2, encoding the ribbon-specific protein Ribeye. Scale bars: 100 µm and 20 µm.