BASIC FGF-LIKE PROTEIN IN THE LOWER STATO-ACOUSTIC SYSTEM OF THE NEONATAL AND ADULT-RAT

BASIC fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-like localization was studied immunohistochemically in the lower auditory tract of neonatal and adult rats. During the neonatal period, bFGF-like immunoreactivity is present in the cytoplasm of inner hair cells, spiral ganglion cells, Scarpa's ganglion cells, in auditory brain stem nuclei and in vestibular nuclei. At the adult stage, bFGF-like protein is widely distributed in the auditory brain stem but was not found in the cochlea. These results suggest that bFGF could be implicated in the development as well as in the neuronal maintenance and plasticity of the auditory system.