Characterization of transgenic mouse lines for labeling type I and type II afferent neurons in the cochlea.

ABSTRACT: The cochlea is innervated by type I and type II afferent neurons. Type I afferents are myelinated, larger diameter neurons that send a single dendrite to contact a single inner hair cell, whereas unmyelinated type II afferents are fewer in number and receive input from many outer hair cells. This strikingly differentiated innervation pattern strongly suggests specialized functions. Those functions could be investigated with specific genetic markers that enable labeling and manipulating each afferent class without significantly affecting the other. Here three mouse models were characterized and tested for specific labeling of either type I or type II cochlear afferents. Nos1^CreER mice showed selective labeling of type I afferent fibers, Slc6a4-GFP mice labeled type II fibers with

SUBMITTER: Vyas P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6447598 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature