Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41588202›Full record

ArticleCommunications biology2026

Characterization of mouse melanocytes reveals ultrastructural and immunological insights into the inner ear function.

Jing Cai, Lei Xu, Yongdong Song, Aizhen Zhang, Zheng Li, Ligang Kong, Kaifan Xu, Yu Jin, Siyue Wang, Junze Lu and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Jing Cai *Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9357-2803
Lei Xu *Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8509-6042
Yongdong SongDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Aizhen ZhangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Zheng LiDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Ligang KongDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Kaifan XuDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Yu JinDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-5096-2922
Siyue WangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Junze LuDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Yun XiaoDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Daogong ZhangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Boqin LiDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. boqinli@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-6245-5396
Haibo WangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. whboto11@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0955-9532

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82271172
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Melanocytes are important components of the inner-ear cellular architecture. However, limited morphological research hinders our understanding of inner-ear function. Here, we characterize the morphology of inner-ear melanocytes and cells often misidentified as melanocytes. Immunofluorescence, smart-seq, transmission/field emission scanning electron microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy are used. Cells previously referred to as "perivascular macrophage-like melanocytes" are not observed in the stria vascularis and are actually macrophages; along with melanocytes, they constitute intermediate cells. Cells with a "black ball" appearance in the vestibule are identified as macrophages. We examine variation in melanocytes or macrophages with age, strain, and cisplatin injury. Kir4.1 expression and the greater noise resistance observed in pigmented mice suggest melanocyte functions. Based on melanin distribution in Pou3f4

Indexed as

Ear, InnerMelanocytesAnimalsMacrophagesMiceMice, Inbred C57BL

Identifiers

PMID41588202
PMCPMC12946316

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.