An anatomical and day–night atlas links cochlear immunity to adjacent bone marrow
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: The cochlea lies within marrow-bearing bone. How this neighbouring marrow relates to cochlear immunity and daily physiology remains poorly resolved. We profiled 160,643 cells from mouse cochlea and adjacent temporal-bone marrow at six times of day, with rhythm inference calibrated for one pooled sample per time. Three-dimensional confocal reconstruction mapped vascular connections between marrow and cochlea and localized neutrophils along this interface. Neutrophils also occupied healthy cochlear fluids. Parabiosis findings were consistent with a local marrow contribution to cochlear immunity. Structural cochlear cells maintained synchronized, light-entrained clocks. Cochlear neutrophil programmes aligned with circulating neutrophils and opposed those in marrow, with independent flow cytometry supporting daily changes in immune composition and CXCR4. A shared night-associated heat-shock programme was attenuated after noise in an independent cohort. These anatomical and temporal data provide a reference for testing local marrow supply and the origins of cochlear immune rhythms.
Institutions: Guangdong Medical College, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College Hospital, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore Immunology Network, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Fudan University, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University
Language: English
Subfield: Sensory Systems
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225631934
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