The developmental appearance of a major basilar papilla-specific protein in the chick.

The sensory epithelium of the chick cochlea, the basilar papilla, contains a major protein of approximately 23,000 daltons. This protein was as abundant as actin in the papilla, yet could not be found in significant quantities in any other cochlear tissue. The protein appeared at a time in development when other studies have shown that the chick embryo develops peripheral auditory competence. These observations suggest a role for this protein in cochlear function.