CD44 and hypothyroidism: Confocal micrographs of cochlear cross-sections at P6 showed that CD44 fluorescence appeared lower in hypothyroid conditions relative to controls (Figure 2D), suggesting that PCs maintain a sensitivity to thyroid hormone levels during postnatal development that may contribute to cell maturation beyond the effects of Fgfr3. Taken together, these data suggest that hypothyroidism leads to a delay in the timing of PC maturation, as early markers of development that are normally down-regulated persist and late markers of development are delayed under experimental conditions.