Expression of marker genes during otolith development in medaka

Little is known about the genes and processes involved in the development of otoliths. In this study, we isolated the biomineralization-related genes otolin and chondromodulin-1 (chm1) from medaka, and examined their spatiotemporal expression pattern as well as that of two other genes also related to biomineralization, i.e., sparc/osteonectin and type II collagen (col2a), during otic development in medaka. Our results demonstrated that all the tested genes were expressed in the otic vesicle, and that chm1 was exclusively expressed in the semicircular canal of the otic vesicle.