Extracorporeal development of the inner ear

Organ culture techniques have been developed by which it is possible to grow the mammalian otocyst. Time lapse cinematography will demonstrate the growth in organ culture of the inner ear from the otocyst stage to a labyrinth containing semicircular canals, maculae and cochlea. Additional time lapse cinematography will show various experimental results of the growth of deaf mutant ears. A series of experiments will show the ability of various portions of the otocyst to develop into different parts of the membranous labyrinth. The technique of organ culture of the mammalian inner ear provides the otologist with an important technique for the study of the normal and abnormal development of the inner ear.