JNK+ and p38+ cells in the rat cochlea 7 days post-intratympanic injection of 0.4 % AgNPs shown by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy or immunohistochemistry. In the cochleae exposed to dH2O, the strial basal cells (SBCs), spiral ligament fibrocytes (SLFs), spiral ganglion cells (SGCs), and hair cells (HCs), pillar cells (PCs), and Deiters’ cells (DCs) of Corti’s organ (CO) showed extremely weak staining for JNK (B, F, and J) and p38 (D, H, and L). 0.4 % AgNPs had no influence on the staining of JNK (A, E, and I) and p38 (C, G, and K) in the SBCs, SLFs, SGCs, and CO. Scale bar = 50 μm in A–H and 20 μm in I–L. (JPG 4719 kb)