Presence of interstereocilial links in waltzer mutants suggests Cdh23 is not essential for tip link formation

Cadherin23 has been proposed to form the upper part of the tip link, an interstereocilial link believed to control opening of transducer channels of sensory hair cells. However, we detect tip link-like links in mouse mutants with null alleles of Cdh23, suggesting the presence of other components that permit formation of a link between the tip of one stereocilium and the side of the adjacent taller stereocilium.