Hsf1 null mice (Fig. 3b–l): WT mice treated with AOM-DSS exhibited extensive fibrosis and increased thickening of the inter-crypt walls, leading to reduction in the number of colon crypts (Fig. 3c), increase in the size of the crypts (Fig. 3e), and increase in the distance between crypts (Fig. 3g, h, j, k) as compared to Hsf1 null mice, which exhibited normal ECM morphology. This evidence concerns the gene HSF1 and infectious otitis media.