Fibroblast growth factor receptor expression in outer hair cells of rat cochlea

FIBROBLAST growth factors (FGFs) are critical for normal development of the organ of Corti, and may also protect hair cells from ototoxic damage. Four different fibroblast growth factors are known, three of which have differe nt splice variants in the extracellular immunoglobin-like (Ig) III FGF-bind ing domain, giving different patterns of sensitivity to the different FGFs. Analysis of a cDNA library of rat outer hair cells by the polymerase chain reaction, using isoform specific primers, showed expression only of FGF re ceptor 3, splice variant IIIc. This allows us to predict the pattern of sen sitivity to applied FGFs, may be useful in targeting outer hair cells selec tively during an FGF-based strategy for cochlear therapy. (C) 1998 Lippinco tt Williams & Wilkins.