Thermal Excitation of the Mechanotransduction Apparatus of Hair Cells.

ABSTRACT: Although a hair bundle is normally deflected by mechanical stimuli, we found that irradiation of a hair cell from the bullfrog's sacculus with ultraviolet light causes rapid motion of the hair bundle toward its tall edge. This movement is associated with opening of mechanotransduction channels and disappears when tip links are disrupted. We localized the absorptive element responsible for the motion to the region directly below the hair bundle and measured an action spectrum similar to the absorption spectra of mitochondrial constituents. Temperature measurements revealed heating around the site of absorption; direct heating of the hair bundle confirmed that the response to light is mediated through heat. Although mechanical offsets of the hair bundle revealed that heat softens gating spri

SUBMITTER: Azimzadeh JB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5805653 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature