Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
James B. Dewey, Alessandro Altoe, Christopher A. Shera, Brian E. Applegate, John S. Oghalai
Summary: The study found that the electromotility dependent on prestin serves as the primary high-frequency amplifying mechanism in the mammalian cochlea, despite being affected by low-pass filtering in vivo.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Kazuaki Homma, Satoe Takahashi, Mary Ann Cheatham
Summary: Through studying several prestin mouse models, it was found that near-normal cochlear function can be maintained even when prestin activity is significantly reduced, suggesting that the relationship between OHC electromotility and the peripheral sensitivity to sound may not be linear.
Article
Neurosciences
Jie Li, Shuang Liu, Chenmeng Song, Tong Zhu, Zhikai Zhao, Wenzhi Sun, Yi Wang, Lei Song, Wei Xiong
Summary: This study found that ultrahigh-frequency hearing in mice does not depend on the presence of Prestin protein, but rather on the OHCs. OHCs are still able to perform ultrahigh-frequency transduction without Prestin, and this process can be inhibited by a universal cation channel blocker, Gadolinium.
NEUROSCIENCE BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kyung Seok Oh, Jae Won Roh, Sun Young Joo, Kunhi Ryu, Jung Ah Kim, Se Jin Kim, Seung Hyun Jang, Young Ik Koh, Da Hye Kim, Hye-Youn Kim, Murim Choi, Jinsei Jung, Wan Namkung, Joo Hyun Nam, Jae Young Choi, Heon Yung Gee
Summary: Mutations in the KCNQ4 gene may be overlooked in adult-onset hearing loss, and some of these mutations are medically treatable. Therefore, genetic screening for KCNQ4 is important.
EXPERIMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Xin Wang, Ping Xiang, Olaf H. Drummer, Jiaojiao Ji, Yue Zhuo, Gengli Duan, Min Shen
Summary: The study revealed that midazolam and its metabolites quickly enter the hair roots of guinea pigs after a single dose, and there is a correlation between drug concentrations in the hair root and the blood. Hair roots can be a valuable specimen in cases of acute poisonings or drug-facilitated crime, particularly when other matrices are unavailable or when blood and urine results are negative.
JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOMEDICAL ANALYSIS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhen Liu, Peng Chen, Dong-Ming Xu, Fei-Yan Qi, Yuan-Ting Guo, Qi Liu, Jing Bai, Xin Zhou, Peng Shi
Summary: Research finds that the laryngeal echolocation in bats may have originated from a common ancestor, but is lost in some fruit bats.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Byunghwa Noh, John Hoon Rim, Ramu Gopalappa, Haiyue Lin, Kyu Min Kim, Min Jin Kang, Heon Yung Gee, Jae Young Choi, Hyongbum Henry Kim, Jinsei Jung
Summary: In vivo gene editing targeting outer hair cells using a dual adeno-associated virus package significantly improved auditory thresholds and a new live-cell imaging technique demonstrated the enhanced activity of KCNQ4 channels after disruption of mutant allele. These findings support the development of targeted therapies for DFNA2 and the potential use of CRISPR-based gene therapy to rectify defects in outer hair cells.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
George Burwood, Pierre Hakizimana, Alfred L. Nuttall, Anders Fridberger
Summary: This study reveals a unique principle of low-frequency hearing that differs from the commonly accepted place code for higher frequencies. The findings suggest that low-frequency hearing relies on similar sound-evoked responses and temporal delays across different regions of the cochlea. These findings have important implications for understanding information processing in the brainstem and cortex, as well as for optimizing auditory implants.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuwei Sun, Yu Zhang, Di Zhang, Guangqin Wang, Lei Song, Zhiyong Liu
Summary: Cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) are important for hearing, and a specific enhancer for OHC damage treatment is currently unavailable. This study used CRISPR/Cas9 to delete large DNA fragments of Slc26a5 in mice and found that the deletion affected the expression of Prestin. Furthermore, the study identified a 1.4 kbp segment as an OHC-specific enhancer, which is likely to be evolutionarily conserved across different species.
Article
Ophthalmology
Ashutosh Jnawali, Xiao Lin, Nimesh B. Patel, Laura J. Frishman, Lisa A. Ostrin
Summary: The study investigated the contributions of retinal ganglion cells to structural and functional measures in guinea pigs. Results showed that retinal ganglion cells play a significant role in visual function, particularly in the PhNR and OP1 components of full field flash ERGs. However, they do not significantly impact pattern ERGs in guinea pigs.
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Hong-Bo Zhao, Li-Man Liu, Ning Yu, Yan Zhu, Ling Mei, Jin Chen, Chun Liang
Summary: The study reveals a new pathway in the descending cochlear efferent system, where medial olivocochlear fibers innervate cochlear supporting cells to regulate their gap junctions, thus controlling outer hair cell electromotility and hearing sensitivity. This supporting cell gap junction-mediated efferent control pathway plays a crucial role in protecting hearing from noise.
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Snezana Levic, Victoria A. Lukashkina, Patricio Simoes, Andrei N. Lukashkin, Ian J. Russell
Summary: Cochlear amplification is achieved through the voltage-dependent electromotility of mechanosensory outer hair cells, which amplifies low-to-moderate level sounds and compresses loud sounds. This study investigates the role of receptor potentials and electrical properties of outer hair cells in high-frequency hearing. The results suggest that extracellular receptor potentials, rather than receptor potentials, drive outer hair cell motility and cochlear amplification at high frequencies.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ophthalmology
Nevin W. El-Nimri, Liqin Jiang, Dinasha Dahanayake, Sami Sweidan, Benjamin E. Smith, Christine F. Wildsoet
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of latanoprost on intraocular pressure, refraction, and choroidal thickness in young adult guinea pigs. The results showed that latanoprost significantly reduced intraocular pressure, but had minimal effects on refraction and choroidal thickness. However, treated eyes had a significant increase in choroidal vessel areas.
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Marcelo J. Moglie, Diego L. Wengier, A. Belen Elgoyhen, Juan D. Goutman
Summary: Normal cochlear function requires precise control of intracellular Ca2+ levels, with Ca2+ influx occurring at the stereocilia tips and basolateral membrane. Two different sources of Ca2+ influx in the basolateral membrane, VGCCs and alpha 9 alpha 10 receptors, are regulated differently, suggesting well-tuned mechanisms to separate the two OHC synaptic functions.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Mingyu Xia, Mingxuan Wu, Liping Zhao, Jiaoyao Ma, Wenyan Li, Huawei Li
Summary: Loss of hair cells is a major factor in sensorineural hearing loss, and regeneration of cochlear hair cells is seen as a way to restore hearing. A new transgenic mouse model was created to selectively ablate inner hair cells (IHCs) in a dose-dependent manner, leading to the observation of regeneration from Lgr5+ progenitors. However, most regenerated hair cells did not survive to adulthood, and loss of spiral ganglion neurons resulted in profound hearing loss after the ablation of IHCs. This model shows promise for studying mechanisms of IHC loss and regeneration.
