ATOH1 and infection: In Dox-treated rtTA/tet-Myc/tet-NICD cochlea followed by ad-Atoh1 infection, we found ectopic HC-like cells (eHCs, defined as regenerated HC-like cells), labeled with HC markers ESPN and PVALB, regenerated in different cochlear areas (Fig. 4c) including the IHC region (Fig. 4d–f).