Expression of beta-tectorin mRNA in the inner ear of the embryonic and early posthatch (PH) chick was studied by in situ hybridisation. In the PH chick, beta-tectorin mRNA is expressed in the basilar papilla, in the clear and the cuboidal cells that lie either side of the papilla, in the striolar regions of the maculae, and in two small groups of cells lying adjacent to the midline in the cristae of the anterior and posterior ampullae. Expression of beta-tectorin is not observed in the lateral ampulla. In the sensory epithelia of the PH chick in which beta-tectorin mRNA is detected, expression is restricted to the supporting cell population. During development of the cochlear duct, beta-tectorin expression begins between embryonic (E) days 5 and 6. At E6, expression is observed throughout the length of the duct but is highest at the distal end. By E7, the pattern of expression is reversed and is highest at the proximal end of the cochlea, suggesting that a wave of high beta-tectorin expression passes disto-proximally along the papilla during E6 and E7. Expression of beta-tectorin mRNA is not detected in the homogene cells at any stage during the development of the cochlear duct, indicating that these cells do not synthesise one of the two major proteins of the avian tectorial membrane. The distribution of supporting cells expressing beta-tectorin mRNA in the different epithelia was compared with the distribution of sensory cells that have type B hair bundles, those with shaft links restricted to basal regions of their stereocilia, and sensory cells that have type A bundles, those with shaft links all over the entire surface of their stereocilia. Hair cells with type A hair bundles are never found in association with supporting cells expressing beta-tectorin. Although there is a correspondence in the basilar papilla and the maculae of the utriculus and lagena between the distribution of supporting cells expressing beta-tectorin mRNA and hair cells with type B bundles, this correlation does not generalise to the other sensory epithelia.