The cochlear hair cells degenerated completely inc-KITc.2430T>A/+ pigs
The morphology of hair cells in the apical, middle and basal turns was examined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (Fig. 5). Three rows of outer hair cells (OHCs) and one row of inner hair cells (IHCs) were regularly arranged along the cochleae in wild-type pigs (Fig. 5, upper pannel). The stereociliary bundles of OHCs were in the form of a ā€œVā€ shape in the middle and basal turns, whereas the stereociliary bundles had a bundle arrangement in the apical turns. The typical morphology of a complete OHC is shown in Fig.5. Compared with the wild-type pigs, the OHCs and IHCs of the c-KITc.2430T>A/+ pigs appeared to be completely degenerated, and stereociliary bundles were not observed in the cuticular plates (Fig.5, lower pannel). In addition, the number of OHCs and supporting cells was severely reduced, leaving empty structures as shown in Fig.5.