scholarly journals Attenuating Cardiac Pulsations within the Cochlea: Structure and Function of Tortuous Vessels Feeding Stria Vascularis

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattia Carraro ◽  
Jaina Negandhi ◽  
Jafri Kuthubutheen ◽  
Evan J. Propst ◽  
Lukas Kus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hair Cells ◽  
Stria Vascularis ◽  
Vascular Anatomy ◽  
Biological Noise ◽  
Pulsatile Blood Flow ◽  
Cochlear Hair Cells ◽  
Cardiac Pulse ◽  
And Function ◽  
Pressure Changes

The mammalian ear has an extraordinary capacity to detect very low-level acoustic signals from the environment. Sound pressures as low as a few μPa (−10 dB SPL) can activate cochlear hair cells. To achieve this sensitivity, biological noise has to be minimized including that generated by cardiovascular pulsation. Generally, cardiac pressure changes are transmitted to most peripheral capillary beds; however, such signals within the stria vascularis of the cochlea would be highly disruptive. Not least, it would result in a constant auditory sensation of heartbeat. We investigate special adaptations in cochlear vasculature that serve to attenuate cardiac pulse signals. We describe the structure of tortuous arterioles that feed stria vascularis as seen in corrosion casts of the cochlea. We provide a mathematical model to explain the role of this unique vascular anatomy in dampening pulsatile blood flow to the stria vascularis.

Shaker-1 mutations reveal roles for myosin VIIA in both development and function of cochlear hair cells

Development ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 557-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Self ◽  
M. Mahony ◽  
J. Fleming ◽  
J. Walsh ◽  
S.D. Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hair Cell ◽  
Hair Cells ◽  
Usher Syndrome ◽  
Orthologous Gene ◽  
Cell Development ◽  
Cochlear Hair Cells ◽  
Cochlear Hair Cell ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Myosin Viia ◽  
And Function

The mouse shaker-1 locus, Myo7a, encodes myosin VIIA and mutations in the orthologous gene in humans cause Usher syndrome type 1B or non-syndromic deafness. Myo7a is expressed very early in sensory hair cell development in the inner ear. We describe the effects of three mutations on cochlear hair cell development and function. In the Myo7a816SB and Myo7a6J mutants, stereocilia grow and form rows of graded heights as normal, but the bundles become progressively more disorganised. Most of these mutants show no gross electrophysiological responses, but some did show evidence of hair cell depolarisation despite the disorganisation of their bundles. In contrast, the original shaker-1 mutants, Myo7ash1, had normal early development of stereocilia bundles, but still showed abnormal cochlear responses. These findings suggest that myosin VIIA is required for normal stereocilia bundle organisation and has a role in the function of cochlear hair cells.

Development of mammalian endocochlear potential: normal ontogeny and effects of anoxia

1986 ◽  
Vol 250 (3) ◽  
pp. R493-R498 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. K. Woolf ◽  
A. F. Ryan ◽  
J. P. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Metabolism ◽  
Mongolian Gerbil ◽  
Hair Cells ◽  
Stria Vascularis ◽  
Organ Of Corti ◽  
Endocochlear Potential ◽  
Cochlear Microphonic ◽  
Cochlear Hair Cells ◽  
Apical Membranes ◽  
Cochlear Microphonic Potential

The development of the positive endocochlear potential (EP), the negative anoxic EP, and the organ of Corti potential were measured at various postnatal ages in the Mongolian gerbil, beginning at 8 days after birth (DAB). The organ of Corti potential (OCP) was present at 8 DAB but averaged 21% less than the adult value. OCP increased regularly with age, reaching adult values of -90 mV by 14 DAB. The positive EP was first observed at 10 DAB, at which age it averaged only 2-3 mV. This potential increased monotonically between 10 and 20 DAB, by which time it had reached the adult value of 75 mV. Anoxia did not result in a negative EP until 12 DAB, at which age this potential averaged -7 mV. The negative anoxic EP matured more rapidly than the positive EP, achieving the adult value of 40 mV by 18 DAB. During development the positive EP appeared to closely parallel the maturation of glucose metabolism in the stria vascularis. The negative anoxic EP was more closely related temporally to the development of cochlear microphonic potential (CM) thresholds. It is hypothesized that changes which occur between 10 and 16 DAB in the apical membranes of the cochlear hair cells contribute to the maturation of both CM and the negative anoxic EP.

scholarly journals Characterization of Strip1 Expression in Mouse Cochlear Hair Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shasha Zhang ◽  
Ying Dong ◽  
Ruiying Qiang ◽  
Yuan Zhang ◽  
Xiaoli Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Immunofluorescent Staining ◽  
Cochlear Hair Cells ◽  
Interacting Protein ◽  
Hearing Ability ◽  
Hearing Function ◽  
Mrna And Protein Expression ◽  
And Function

Striatin-interacting protein 1 (Strip1) is a core component of the striatin interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex, which is involved in embryogenesis and development, circadian rhythms, type 2 diabetes, and cancer progression. However, the expression and role of Strip1 in the mammalian cochlea remains unclear. Here we studied the expression and function of Strip1 in the mouse cochlea by using Strip1 knockout mice. We first found that the mRNA and protein expression of Strip1 increases as mice age starting from postnatal day (P) 3 and reaches its highest expression level at P30 and that the expression of Strip1 can be detected by immunofluorescent staining starting from P14 only in cochlear HCs, and not in supporting cells (SCs). Next, we crossed Strip1 heterozygous knockout (Strip +/−) mice to obtain Strip1 homozygous knockout (Strip1−/−) mice for studying the role of Strip1 in cochlear HCs. However, no Strip1−/− mice were obtained and the ratio of Strip +/− to Strip1+/+ mice per litter was about 2:1, which suggested that homozygous Strip1 knockout is embryonic lethal. We measured hearing function and counted the HC number in P30 and P60 Strip +/− mice and found that they had normal hearing ability and HC numbers compared to Strip1+/+ mice. Our study suggested that Strip1 probably play important roles in HC development and maturation, which needs further study in the future.

scholarly journals Caffeine Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis in Auditory Hair Cells via the SGK1/HIF-1α Pathway

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaomin Tang ◽  
Yuxuan Sun ◽  
Chenyu Xu ◽  
Xiaotao Guo ◽  
Jiaqiang Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hair Cells ◽  
Stria Vascularis ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Organ Of Corti ◽  
Spiral Ganglion Neurons ◽  
Auditory Hair Cells ◽  
Qrt Pcr ◽  
Ganglion Neurons

Caffeine is being increasingly used in daily life, such as in drinks, cosmetics, and medicine. Caffeine is known as a mild stimulant of the central nervous system, which is also closely related to neurologic disease. However, it is unknown whether caffeine causes hearing loss, and there is great interest in determining the effect of caffeine in cochlear hair cells. First, we explored the difference in auditory brainstem response (ABR), organ of Corti, stria vascularis, and spiral ganglion neurons between the control and caffeine-treated groups of C57BL/6 mice. RNA sequencing was conducted to profile mRNA expression differences in the cochlea of control and caffeine-treated mice. A CCK-8 assay was used to evaluate the approximate concentration of caffeine. Flow cytometry, TUNEL assay, immunocytochemistry, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting were performed to detect the effects of SGK1 in HEI-OC1 cells and basilar membranes. In vivo research showed that 120 mg/ kg caffeine injection caused hearing loss by damaging the organ of Corti, stria vascularis, and spiral ganglion neurons. RNA-seq results suggested that SGK1 might play a vital role in ototoxicity. To confirm our observations in vitro, we used the HEI-OC1 cell line, a cochlear hair cell-like cell line, to investigate the role of caffeine in hearing loss. The results of flow cytometry, TUNEL assay, immunocytochemistry, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting showed that caffeine caused autophagy and apoptosis via SGK1 pathway. We verified the interaction between SGK1 and HIF-1α by co-IP. To confirm the role of SGK1 and HIF-1α, GSK650394 was used as an inhibitor of SGK1 and CoCl2 was used as an inducer of HIF-1α. Western blot analysis suggested that GSK650394 and CoCl2 relieved the caffeine-induced apoptosis and autophagy. Together, these results indicated that caffeine induces autophagy and apoptosis in auditory hair cells via the SGK1/HIF-1α pathway, suggesting that caffeine may cause hearing loss. Additionally, our findings provided new insights into ototoxic drugs, demonstrating that SGK1 and its downstream pathways may be potential therapeutic targets for hearing research at the molecular level.

scholarly journals Cnr2 Is Important for Ribbon Synapse Maturation and Function in Hair Cells and Photoreceptors

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Colón-Cruz ◽  
Roberto Rodriguez-Morales ◽  
Alexis Santana-Cruz ◽  
Juan Cantres-Velez ◽  
Aranza Torrado-Tapias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hair Cells ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptor ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptor 2 ◽  
Ribbon Synapses ◽  
Sensory Epithelia ◽  
Synapse Maturation ◽  
And Function

The role of the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CNR2) is still poorly described in sensory epithelia. We found strong cnr2 expression in hair cells (HCs) of the inner ear and the lateral line (LL), a superficial sensory structure in fish. Next, we demonstrated that sensory synapses in HCs were severely perturbed in larvae lacking cnr2. Appearance and distribution of presynaptic ribbons and calcium channels (Cav1.3) were profoundly altered in mutant animals. Clustering of membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK) in post-synaptic densities (PSDs) was also heavily affected, suggesting a role for cnr2 for maintaining the sensory synapse. Furthermore, vesicular trafficking in HCs was strongly perturbed suggesting a retrograde action of the endocannabinoid system (ECs) via cnr2 that was modulating HC mechanotransduction. We found similar perturbations in retinal ribbon synapses. Finally, we showed that larval swimming behaviors after sound and light stimulations were significantly different in mutant animals. Thus, we propose that cnr2 is critical for the processing of sensory information in the developing larva.

scholarly journals Cilia in the developing zebrafish ear

2019 ◽  
Vol 375 (1792) ◽  
pp. 20190163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya T. Whitfield
Keyword(s):  
Hair Cells ◽  
Otic Vesicle ◽  
Sensory Hair ◽  
Ciliary Motility ◽  
Extracellular Signals ◽  
Sensory Hair Cell ◽  
Sensory Hair Cells ◽  
And Function ◽  
Cellular Compartments

The inner ear, which mediates the senses of hearing and balance, derives from a simple ectodermal vesicle in the vertebrate embryo. In the zebrafish, the otic placode and vesicle express a whole suite of genes required for ciliogenesis and ciliary motility. Every cell of the otic epithelium is ciliated at early stages; at least three different ciliary subtypes can be distinguished on the basis of length, motility, genetic requirements and function. In the early otic vesicle, most cilia are short and immotile. Long, immotile kinocilia on the first sensory hair cells tether the otoliths, biomineralized aggregates of calcium carbonate and protein. Small numbers of motile cilia at the poles of the otic vesicle contribute to the accuracy of otolith tethering, but neither the presence of cilia nor ciliary motility is absolutely required for this process. Instead, otolith tethering is dependent on the presence of hair cells and the function of the glycoprotein Otogelin. Otic cilia or ciliary proteins also mediate sensitivity to ototoxins and coordinate responses to extracellular signals. Other studies are beginning to unravel the role of ciliary proteins in cellular compartments other than the kinocilium, where they are important for the integrity and survival of the sensory hair cell. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Unity and diversity of cilia in locomotion and transport’.

scholarly journals Elmod3 knockout leads to progressive hearing loss and abnormalities in cochlear hair cell stereocilia

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (24) ◽  
pp. 4103-4112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wu Li ◽  
Yong Feng ◽  
Anhai Chen ◽  
Taoxi Li ◽  
Sida Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Actin Cytoskeleton ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Hair Cells ◽  
Organ Of Corti ◽  
Vestibular Function ◽  
Outer Hair Cells ◽  
Auditory Function ◽  
Cochlear Hair Cells

Abstract ELMOD3, an ARL2 GTPase-activating protein, is implicated in causing hearing impairment in humans. However, the specific role of ELMOD3 in auditory function is still far from being elucidated. In the present study, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 technology to establish an Elmod3 knockout mice line in the C57BL/6 background (hereinafter referred to as Elmod3−/− mice) and investigated the role of Elmod3 in the cochlea and auditory function. Elmod3−/− mice started to exhibit hearing loss from 2 months of age, and the deafness progressed with aging, while the vestibular function of Elmod3−/− mice was normal. We also observed that Elmod3−/− mice showed thinning and receding hair cells in the organ of Corti and much lower expression of F-actin cytoskeleton in the cochlea compared with wild-type mice. The deafness associated with the mutation may be caused by cochlear hair cells dysfunction, which manifests with shortening and fusion of inner hair cells stereocilia and progressive degeneration of outer hair cells stereocilia. Our finding associates Elmod3 deficiencies with stereocilia dysmorphologies and reveals that they might play roles in the actin cytoskeleton dynamics in cochlear hair cells, and thus relate to hearing impairment.

scholarly journals Filling the Silent Void: Genetic Therapies for Hearing Impairment

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Joel Sng ◽  
Thomas Lufkin
Keyword(s):  
Inner Ear ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Hair Cells ◽  
Genetic Disorders ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Inner Ear Development ◽  
Sensory Hair Cells ◽  
And Function ◽  
Function Potential

The inner ear cytoarchitecture forms one of the most intricate and delicate organs in the human body and is vulnerable to the effects of genetic disorders, aging, and environmental damage. Owing to the inability of the mammalian cochlea to regenerate sensory hair cells, the loss of hair cells is a leading cause of deafness in humans. Millions of individuals worldwide are affected by the emotionally and financially devastating effects of hearing impairment (HI). This paper provides a brief introduction into the key role of genes regulating inner ear development and function. Potential future therapies that leverage on an improved understanding of these molecular pathways are also described in detail.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document