Russell, Ian J, Legan, P Kevin, Lukashkina, Victoria A, Lukashkin, Andrei N, Goodyear, Richard J and Richardson, Guy P (2007) Sharpened cochlear tuning in a mouse with a genetically modified tectorial membrane. Nature Neuroscience, 10 (2). pp. 215-223. ISSN 1097-6256

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Abstract

Frequency tuning in the cochlea is determined by the passive mechanical properties of the basilar membrane and active feedback from the outer hair cells, sensory-effector cells that detect and amplify sound-induced basilar membrane motions. The sensory hair bundles of the outer hair cells are imbedded in the tectorial membrane, a sheet of extracellular matrix that overlies the cochlea's sensory epithelium. The tectorial membrane contains radially organized collagen fibrils that are imbedded in an unusual striated-sheet matrix formed by two glycoproteins, -tectorin (Tecta) and -tectorin (Tectb). In Tectb-/- mice the structure of the striated-sheet matrix is disrupted. Although these mice have a low-frequency hearing loss, basilar-membrane and neural tuning are both significantly enhanced in the high-frequency regions of the cochlea, with little loss in sensitivity. These findings can be attributed to a reduction in the acting mass of the tectorial membrane and reveal a new function for this structure in controlling interactions along the cochlea.

Item Type:	Article
Schools and Departments:	School of Life Sciences > Neuroscience
Depositing User:	Ian Russell
Date Deposited:	06 Feb 2012 21:25
Last Modified:	26 Mar 2012 15:00
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/31192

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