Growth and turnover of rat otoconia as revealed by labeling with tetracycline

These findings indicate that: (1) all otoconia grow synchronously during late gestation and the neonatal period (up to about 10 days after birth) by accretion, (2) no new otoconia are formed subsequently, and (3) essentially no turnover of otoconia occurs and probably no turnover of calcium takes place under normal conditions once otoconia have formed.