The micromachinery of mechanotransduction in hair cells

MA Vollrath, KY Kwan, DP Corey - Annu. Rev. Neurosci., 2007 - annualreviews.org
MA Vollrath, KY Kwan, DP Corey
Annu. Rev. Neurosci., 2007annualreviews.org
Mechanical stimuli generated by head movements and changes in sound pressure are
detected by hair cells with amazing speed and sensitivity. The mechanosensitive organelle,
the hair bundle, is a highly elaborated structure of actin-based stereocilia arranged in
precise rows of increasing height. Extracellular linkages contribute to its cohesion and
convey forces to mechanically gated channels. Channel opening is nearly instantaneous
and is followed by a process of sensory adaptation that keeps the channels poised in their …
Abstract
Mechanical stimuli generated by head movements and changes in sound pressure are detected by hair cells with amazing speed and sensitivity. The mechanosensitive organelle, the hair bundle, is a highly elaborated structure of actin-based stereocilia arranged in precise rows of increasing height. Extracellular linkages contribute to its cohesion and convey forces to mechanically gated channels. Channel opening is nearly instantaneous and is followed by a process of sensory adaptation that keeps the channels poised in their most sensitive range. This process is served by motors, scaffolds, and homeostatic mechanisms. The molecular constituents of this process are rapidly being elucidated, especially by the discovery of deafness genes and antibody targets.
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