Hair Cell Regeneration After Acoustic Trauma in Adult <i>Coturnix</i> Quail

TLDR

The study examined hair‑cell recovery over time after acoustic trauma in adult quail and used tritiated thymidine injections to assess mitotic involvement. Hair cells largely recovered to within 5 % of their original number, with tritiated thymidine incorporation in hair and supporting cells within 10 days, indicating regeneration after embryonic terminal mitosis.

Abstract

Recovery of hair cells was studied at various times after acoustic trauma in adult quail. An initial loss of hair cells recovered to within 5 percent of the original number of cells. Tritium-labeled thymidine was injected after this acoustic trauma to determine if mitosis played a role in recovery of hair cells. Within 10 days of acoustic trauma, incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine was seen over the nuclei of hair cells and supporting cells in the region of initial hair cell loss. Thus, hair cell regeneration can occur after embryonic terminal mitosis.