Deletion of the Ca2+-activated potassium (BK) alpha-subunit but not the BKbeta1-subunit leads to progressive hearing loss.

ABSTRACT: The large conductance voltage- and Ca2+-activated potassium (BK) channel has been suggested to play an important role in the signal transduction process of cochlear inner hair cells. BK channels have been shown to be composed of the pore-forming alpha-subunit coexpressed with the auxiliary beta1-subunit. Analyzing the hearing function and cochlear phenotype of BK channel alpha-(BKalpha-/-) and beta1-subunit (BKbeta1-/-) knockout mice, we demonstrate normal hearing function and cochlear structure of BKbeta1-/- mice. During the first 4 postnatal weeks also, BKalpha-/- mice most surprisingly did not show any obvious hearing deficits. High-frequency hearing loss developed in BKalpha-/- mice only from approximately 8 weeks postnatally onward and was accompanied by a lack of distortion product o

SUBMITTER: Ruttiger L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC516466 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature