MET currents and otoacoustic emissions from mice with a detached tectorial membrane indicate the extracellular matrix regulates Ca²⁺ near stereocilia.

ABSTRACT:

Key points

The aim was to determine whether detachment of the tectorial membrane (TM) from the organ of Corti in Tecta/Tectb^-/- mice affects the biophysical properties of cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs). Tecta/Tectb^-/- mice have highly elevated hearing thresholds, but OHCs mature normally. Mechanoelectrical transducer (MET) channel resting open probability (P_o ) in mature OHC is ∼50% in endolymphatic [Ca²⁺ ], resulting in a large standing depolarizing MET current that would allow OHCs to act optimally as electromotile cochlear amplifiers. MET channel resting P_o in vivo is also high in Tecta/Tectb^-/- mice, indicating that the TM is unlikely to statically bias the hair bundles of OHCs. Distortion product otoacoustic e

SUBMITTER: Jeng JY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7612128 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature