Progress in temporal bone histopathology. III. An improved technique for immunohistochemical investigation of the adult human inner ear.

A new tissue processing technique is described for immunohistochemistry of the adult human inner ear, avoiding the immuno-compromising step of prolonged decalcification. The procedure allows reliable investigation of frozen sections of the chemically fixed, non-decalcified, adult human cochlea and vestibular sense organs. Preservation of immunoreactivity, combined with satisfying tissue morphology, is illustrated by the immunohistochemical localization of the intermediate filament constituents cytokeratins and neurofilament proteins throughout the membranous labyrinth.