Good Evening JD and Leomer!
Indeed there is still a need to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the inner ear. To answer your question, there are actually different approaches to do this. There are inhibitory approaches to elucidate morphogenetic pathways (Sai et al., 2014), conditional approaches to test signaling pathways (Bok et al., 2013), as well as microarray, RNA-seq, and qPCR approaches for the elucidation of proteins and other signaling pathways involved in cochlear morphogenesis (Mann et al., 2014).
We hope this answers your question and happy new year to you both as well!
References:
Bok, J., Zenczak, C., Hwang, C.H. & Wu, D.K. (2013).
Auditory ganglion source of Sonic hedgehog regulates timing of cell cycle exit and differentiation of mammalian cochlear hair cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 110:13869-13874.
Mann, Z.F., Thiede, B.R., Chang, W., Shin, J.B., May-Simera, H.L., Lovett, M., Corwin, J.T. & Kelley, M.W. (2014). A gradient of Bmp7 specifies the tonotopic axis in the developing inner ear. Nature Communications, 5: 3839. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4839
Sai, X., Yonemura, S. & Ladher, R.K. (2014). Junctionally restricted RhoA activity is necessary for apical constriction during phase 2 inner ear placode invagination. Developmental Biology, 394(2):206-216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.08.022
Indeed there is still a need to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the inner ear. To answer your question, there are actually different approaches to do this. There are inhibitory approaches to elucidate morphogenetic pathways (Sai et al., 2014), conditional approaches to test signaling pathways (Bok et al., 2013), as well as microarray, RNA-seq, and qPCR approaches for the elucidation of proteins and other signaling pathways involved in cochlear morphogenesis (Mann et al., 2014).
We hope this answers your question and happy new year to you both as well!
References:
Bok, J., Zenczak, C., Hwang, C.H. & Wu, D.K. (2013).
Auditory ganglion source of Sonic hedgehog regulates timing of cell cycle exit and differentiation of mammalian cochlear hair cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 110:13869-13874.
Mann, Z.F., Thiede, B.R., Chang, W., Shin, J.B., May-Simera, H.L., Lovett, M., Corwin, J.T. & Kelley, M.W. (2014). A gradient of Bmp7 specifies the tonotopic axis in the developing inner ear. Nature Communications, 5: 3839. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4839
Sai, X., Yonemura, S. & Ladher, R.K. (2014). Junctionally restricted RhoA activity is necessary for apical constriction during phase 2 inner ear placode invagination. Developmental Biology, 394(2):206-216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.08.022