Biology – Quantitative Biology – Subcellular Processes
Scientific paper
2009-02-16
Nature Neuroscience 10 (1), 87 - 92 (2007)
Biology
Quantitative Biology
Subcellular Processes
24 pages, including 6 figures, published in 2007
Scientific paper
10.1038/nn1818
The hair cell's mechanoreceptive organelle, the hair bundle, is highly sensitive because its transduction channels open over a very narrow range of displacements. The synchronous gating of transduction channels also underlies the active hair-bundle motility that amplifies and tunes responsiveness. The extent to which the gating of independent transduction channels is coordinated depends on how tightly individual stereocilia are constrained to move as a unit. Using dual-beam interferometry in the bullfrog's sacculus, we found that thermal movements of stereocilia located as far apart as a bundle's opposite edges display high coherence and negligible phase lag. Because the mechanical degrees of freedom of stereocilia are strongly constrained, a force applied anywhere in the hair bundle deflects the structure as a unit. This feature assures the concerted gating of transduction channels that maximizes the sensitivity of mechanoelectrical transduction and enhances the hair bundle's capacity to amplify its inputs.
Hudspeth A. J.
Kozlov Andrei S.
Risler Thomas
No associations
LandOfFree
Coherent motion of stereocilia assures the concerted gating of hair-cell transduction channels does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Coherent motion of stereocilia assures the concerted gating of hair-cell transduction channels, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Coherent motion of stereocilia assures the concerted gating of hair-cell transduction channels will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-463789