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Aristizábal-Ramírez I, Dragich AK, Giese APJ, Sofia Zuluaga-Osorio K, Watkins J, Davies GK, Hadi SE, Riazuddin S, Vander Kooi CW, Ahmed ZM, Frolenkov GI. Calcium and Integrin-binding protein 2 (CIB2) controls force sensitivity of the mechanotransducer channels in cochlear outer hair cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.09.545606. [PMID: 37461484 PMCID: PMC10350036 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.09.545606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Calcium and Integrin-Binding Protein 2 (CIB2) is an essential subunit of the mechano-electrical transduction (MET) complex in mammalian auditory hair cells. CIB2 binds to pore-forming subunits of the MET channel, TMC1/2 and is required for their transport and/or retention at the tips of mechanosensory stereocilia. Since genetic ablation of CIB2 results in complete loss of MET currents, the exact role of CIB2 in the MET complex remains elusive. Here, we generated a new mouse strain with deafness-causing p.R186W mutation in Cib2 and recorded small but still measurable MET currents in the cochlear outer hair cells. We found that R186W variant causes increase of the resting open probability of MET channels, steeper MET current dependence on hair bundle deflection (I-X curve), loss of fast adaptation, and increased leftward shifts of I-X curves upon hair cell depolarization. Combined with AlphaFold2 prediction that R186W disrupts one of the multiple interacting sites between CIB2 and TMC1/2, our data suggest that CIB2 mechanically constraints TMC1/2 conformations to ensure proper force sensitivity and dynamic range of the MET channels. Using a custom piezo-driven stiff probe deflecting the hair bundles in less than 10 µs, we also found that R186W variant slows down the activation of MET channels. This phenomenon, however, is unlikely to be due to direct effect on MET channels, since we also observed R186W-evoked disruption of the electron-dense material at the tips of mechanotransducing stereocilia and the loss of membrane-shaping BAIAP2L2 protein from the same location. We concluded that R186W variant of CIB2 disrupts force sensitivity of the MET channels and force transmission to these channels.
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Qiu X, Müller U. Sensing sound: Cellular specializations and molecular force sensors. Neuron 2022; 110:3667-3687. [PMID: 36223766 PMCID: PMC9671866 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Organisms of all phyla express mechanosensitive ion channels with a wide range of physiological functions. In recent years, several classes of mechanically gated ion channels have been identified. Some of these ion channels are intrinsically mechanosensitive. Others depend on accessory proteins to regulate their response to mechanical force. The mechanotransduction machinery of cochlear hair cells provides a particularly striking example of a complex force-sensing machine. This molecular ensemble is embedded into a specialized cellular compartment that is crucial for its function. Notably, mechanotransduction channels of cochlear hair cells are not only critical for auditory perception. They also shape their cellular environment and regulate the development of auditory circuitry. Here, we summarize recent discoveries that have shed light on the composition of the mechanotransduction machinery of cochlear hair cells and how this machinery contributes to the development and function of the auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xufeng Qiu
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ulrich Müller
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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3
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Data-driven discovery of high performance layered van der Waals piezoelectric NbOI 2. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1884. [PMID: 35393426 PMCID: PMC8990070 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29495-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Using high-throughput first-principles calculations to search for layered van der Waals materials with the largest piezoelectric stress coefficients, we discover NbOI2 to be the one among 2940 monolayers screened. The piezoelectric performance of NbOI2 is independent of thickness, and its electromechanical coupling factor of near unity is a hallmark of optimal interconversion between electrical and mechanical energy. Laser scanning vibrometer studies on bulk and few-layer NbOI2 crystals verify their huge piezoelectric responses, which exceed internal references such as In2Se3 and CuInP2S6. Furthermore, we provide insights into the atomic origins of anti-correlated piezoelectric and ferroelectric responses in NbOX2 (X = Cl, Br, I), based on bond covalency and structural distortions in these materials. Our discovery that NbOI2 has the largest piezoelectric stress coefficients among 2D materials calls for the development of NbOI2-based flexible nanoscale piezoelectric devices. The recent thrust toward flexible nanoscale devices creates a need for two-dimensional piezoelectric materials. Here, the authors find large piezoelectric response in NbOI2 flakes ranging from 4 nm to the bulk.
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Mechanotransduction in mammalian sensory hair cells. Mol Cell Neurosci 2022; 120:103706. [PMID: 35218890 PMCID: PMC9177625 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2022.103706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In the inner ear, the auditory and vestibular systems detect and translate sensory information regarding sound and balance. The sensory cells that transform mechanical input into an electrical signal in these systems are called hair cells. A specialized organelle on the apical surface of the hair cells called the hair bundle detects the mechanical signals. Displacement of the hair bundle causes mechanotransduction channels to open. The morphology and organization of the hair bundle, as well as the properties and characteristics of the mechanotransduction process, differ between the different hair cell types in the auditory and vestibular systems. These differences likely contribute to maximizing the transduction of specific signals in each system. This review will discuss the molecules essential for mechanotransduction and the properties of the mechanotransduction process, focusing our attention on recent data and differences between the auditory and vestibular systems.
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Beurg M, Nam JH, Fettiplace R. The speed of the hair cell mechanotransducer channel revealed by fluctuation analysis. J Gen Physiol 2021; 153:212584. [PMID: 34411238 PMCID: PMC8383808 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202112959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although mechanoelectrical transducer (MET) channels have been extensively studied, uncertainty persists about their molecular architecture and single-channel conductance. We made electrical measurements from mouse cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) to reexamine the MET channel conductance comparing two different methods. Analysis of fluctuations in the macroscopic currents showed that the channel conductance in apical OHCs determined from nonstationary noise analysis was about half that of single-channel events recorded after tip link destruction. We hypothesized that this difference reflects a bandwidth limitation in the noise analysis, which we tested by simulations of stochastic fluctuations in modeled channels. Modeling indicated that the unitary conductance depended on the relative values of the channel activation time constant and the applied low-pass filter frequency. The modeling enabled the activation time constant of the channel to be estimated for the first time, yielding a value of only a few microseconds. We found that the channel conductance, assayed with both noise and recording of single-channel events, was reduced by a third in a new deafness mutant, Tmc1 p.D528N. Our results indicate that noise analysis is likely to underestimate MET channel amplitude, which is better characterized from recordings of single-channel events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryline Beurg
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - Jong-Hoon Nam
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Biomechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Robert Fettiplace
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
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6
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Wang Y, Steele CR, Puria S, Ricci AJ. In situ motions of individual inner-hair-cell stereocilia from stapes stimulation in adult mice. Commun Biol 2021; 4:958. [PMID: 34381157 PMCID: PMC8357788 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02459-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In vertebrate hearing organs, mechanical vibrations are converted to ionic currents through mechanoelectrical-transduction (MET) channels. Concerted stereocilia motion produces an ensemble MET current driving the hair-cell receptor potential. Mammalian cochleae are unique in that the tuning of sensory cells is determined by their mechanical environment and the mode of hair-bundle stimulation that their environment creates. However, little is known about the in situ intra-hair-bundle motions of stereocilia relative to one another, or to their environment. In this study, high-speed imaging allowed the stereocilium and cell-body motions of inner hair cells to be monitored in an ex vivo organ of Corti (OoC) mouse preparation. We have found that the OoC rotates about the base of the inner pillar cell, the hair bundle rotates about its base and lags behind the motion of the apical surface of the cell, and the individual stereocilia move semi-independently within a given hair bundle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanli Wang
- Otolaryngology-HNS, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Sunil Puria
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Rutherford MA, von Gersdorff H, Goutman JD. Encoding sound in the cochlea: from receptor potential to afferent discharge. J Physiol 2021; 599:2527-2557. [PMID: 33644871 PMCID: PMC8127127 DOI: 10.1113/jp279189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribbon-class synapses in the ear achieve analog to digital transformation of a continuously graded membrane potential to all-or-none spikes. In mammals, several auditory nerve fibres (ANFs) carry information from each inner hair cell (IHC) to the brain in parallel. Heterogeneity of transmission among synapses contributes to the diversity of ANF sound-response properties. In addition to the place code for sound frequency and the rate code for sound level, there is also a temporal code. In series with cochlear amplification and frequency tuning, neural representation of temporal cues over a broad range of sound levels enables auditory comprehension in noisy multi-speaker settings. The IHC membrane time constant introduces a low-pass filter that attenuates fluctuations of the receptor potential above 1-2 kHz. The ANF spike generator adds a high-pass filter via its depolarization-rate threshold that rejects slow changes in the postsynaptic potential and its phasic response property that ensures one spike per depolarization. Synaptic transmission involves several stochastic subcellular processes between IHC depolarization and ANF spike generation, introducing delay and jitter that limits the speed and precision of spike timing. ANFs spike at a preferred phase of periodic sounds in a process called phase-locking that is limited to frequencies below a few kilohertz by both the IHC receptor potential and the jitter in synaptic transmission. During phase-locking to periodic sounds of increasing intensity, faster and facilitated activation of synaptic transmission and spike generation may be offset by presynaptic depletion of synaptic vesicles, resulting in relatively small changes in response phase. Here we review encoding of spike-timing at cochlear ribbon synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Rutherford
- Department of Otolaryngology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Henrique von Gersdorff
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon 97239
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Jung YH, Park B, Kim JU, Kim TI. Bioinspired Electronics for Artificial Sensory Systems. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1803637. [PMID: 30345558 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201803637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Humans have a myriad of sensory receptors in different sense organs that form the five traditionally recognized senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. These receptors detect diverse stimuli originating from the world and turn them into brain-interpretable electrical impulses for sensory cognitive processing, enabling us to communicate and socialize. Developments in biologically inspired electronics have led to the demonstration of a wide range of electronic sensors in all five traditional categories, with the potential to impact a broad spectrum of applications. Here, recent advances in bioinspired electronics that can function as potential artificial sensory systems, including prosthesis and humanoid robots are reviewed. The mechanisms and demonstrations in mimicking biological sensory systems are individually discussed and the remaining future challenges that must be solved for their versatile use are analyzed. Recent progress in bioinspired electronic sensors shows that the five traditional senses are successfully mimicked using novel electronic components and the performance regarding sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy have improved to levels that outperform human sensory organs. Finally, neural interfacing techniques for connecting artificial sensors to the brain are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yei Hwan Jung
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeonghak Park
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Uk Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Il Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
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9
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Design and Fabrication by Thermal Imprint Lithography and Mechanical Characterization of a Ring-Based PDMS Soft Probe for Sensing and Actuating Forces in Biological Systems. Polymers (Basel) 2019; 11:polym11030424. [PMID: 30960408 PMCID: PMC6473920 DOI: 10.3390/polym11030424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, the design, fabrication and mechanical characterization of a novel polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) soft probe for delivering and sensing forces in biological systems is proposed. On the basis of preliminary finite element (FEM) analysis, the design takes advantage of a suitable core geometry, characterized by a variable spring-like ring. The compliance of probes can be finely set in a wide range to measure forces in the micronewton to nanonewton range. In particular, this is accomplished by properly resizing the ring geometry and/or exploiting the mixing ratio-based elastic properties of PDMS. Fabrication by the thermal imprint lithography method allows fast and accurate tuning of ring sizes and tailoring of the contact section to their targets. By only varying geometrical parameters, the stiffness ranges from 1080 mNm-1 to 50 mNm-1, but by changing the base-curing agent proportion of the elastomer from 10:1 to 30:1, the stiffness drops to 37 mNm-1. With these compliances, the proposed device will provide a new experimental tool for investigating force-dependent biological functions in sensory systems.
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10
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Ó Maoiléidigh D, Ricci AJ. A Bundle of Mechanisms: Inner-Ear Hair-Cell Mechanotransduction. Trends Neurosci 2019; 42:221-236. [PMID: 30661717 PMCID: PMC6402798 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2018.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
In the inner ear, the deflection of hair bundles, the sensory organelles of hair cells, activates mechanically-gated channels (MGCs). Hair bundles monitor orientation of the head, its angular and linear acceleration, and detect sound. Force applied to MGCs is shaped by intrinsic hair-bundle properties, by the mechanical load on the bundle, and by the filter imparted by the environment of the hair bundle. Channel gating and adaptation, the ability of the bundle to reset its operating point, contribute to hair-bundle mechanics. Recent data from mammalian hair cells challenge longstanding hypotheses regarding adaptation mechanisms and hair-bundle coherence. Variations between hair bundles from different organs in hair-bundle mechanics, mechanical load, channel gating, and adaptation may allow a hair bundle to selectively respond to specific sensory stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dáibhid Ó Maoiléidigh
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA
| | - Anthony J Ricci
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA.
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11
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Schulz-Mirbach T, Ladich F, Plath M, Heß M. Enigmatic ear stones: what we know about the functional role and evolution of fish otoliths. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 94:457-482. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Schulz-Mirbach
- Department Biology II, Zoology; Ludwig-Maximilians-University; Großhaderner Strasse 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried Germany
| | - Friedrich Ladich
- Department of Behavioural Biology; University of Vienna; Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Martin Plath
- College of Animal Science & Technology; Northwest A&F University; 22 Xinong Road, Yangling Shaanxi China
| | - Martin Heß
- Department Biology II, Zoology; Ludwig-Maximilians-University; Großhaderner Strasse 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried Germany
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12
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Qiu X, Müller U. Mechanically Gated Ion Channels in Mammalian Hair Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:100. [PMID: 29755320 PMCID: PMC5932396 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hair cells in the inner ear convert mechanical stimuli provided by sound waves and head movements into electrical signal. Several mechanically evoked ionic currents with different properties have been recorded in hair cells. The search for the proteins that form the underlying ion channels is still in progress. The mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) channel near the tips of stereociliary in hair cells, which is responsible for sensory transduction, has been studied most extensively. Several components of the sensory mechanotransduction machinery in stereocilia have been identified, including the multi-transmembrane proteins tetraspan membrane protein in hair cell stereocilia (TMHS)/LHFPL5, transmembrane inner ear (TMIE) and transmembrane channel-like proteins 1 and 2 (TMC1/2). However, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the molecules that form the channel pore. In addition to the sensory MET channel, hair cells express the mechanically gated ion channel PIEZO2, which is localized near the base of stereocilia and not essential for sensory transduction. The function of PIEZO2 in hair cells is not entirely clear but it might have a role in damage sensing and repair processes. Additional stretch-activated channels of unknown molecular identity and function have been found to localize at the basolateral membrane of hair cells. Here, we review current knowledge regarding the different mechanically gated ion channels in hair cells and discuss open questions concerning their molecular composition and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xufeng Qiu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ulrich Müller
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Fettiplace R. Hair Cell Transduction, Tuning, and Synaptic Transmission in the Mammalian Cochlea. Compr Physiol 2017; 7:1197-1227. [PMID: 28915323 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c160049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Sound pressure fluctuations striking the ear are conveyed to the cochlea, where they vibrate the basilar membrane on which sit hair cells, the mechanoreceptors of the inner ear. Recordings of hair cell electrical responses have shown that they transduce sound via submicrometer deflections of their hair bundles, which are arrays of interconnected stereocilia containing the mechanoelectrical transducer (MET) channels. MET channels are activated by tension in extracellular tip links bridging adjacent stereocilia, and they can respond within microseconds to nanometer displacements of the bundle, facilitated by multiple processes of Ca2+-dependent adaptation. Studies of mouse mutants have produced much detail about the molecular organization of the stereocilia, the tip links and their attachment sites, and the MET channels localized to the lower end of each tip link. The mammalian cochlea contains two categories of hair cells. Inner hair cells relay acoustic information via multiple ribbon synapses that transmit rapidly without rundown. Outer hair cells are important for amplifying sound-evoked vibrations. The amplification mechanism primarily involves contractions of the outer hair cells, which are driven by changes in membrane potential and mediated by prestin, a motor protein in the outer hair cell lateral membrane. Different sound frequencies are separated along the cochlea, with each hair cell being tuned to a narrow frequency range; amplification sharpens the frequency resolution and augments sensitivity 100-fold around the cell's characteristic frequency. Genetic mutations and environmental factors such as acoustic overstimulation cause hearing loss through irreversible damage to the hair cells or degeneration of inner hair cell synapses. © 2017 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:1197-1227, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Fettiplace
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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14
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Fettiplace R. Is TMC1 the Hair Cell Mechanotransducer Channel? Biophys J 2017; 111:3-9. [PMID: 27410728 PMCID: PMC4945579 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmembrane channel-like protein isoform-1 (TMC1) has emerged over the past five years as a prime contender for the mechano-electrical transducer (MET) channel in hair cells of the inner ear. TMC1 is thought to have a six-transmembrane domain structure reminiscent of some other ion-channel subunits, and is targeted to the tips of the stereocilia in the sensory hair bundle, where the MET channel is located. Moreover, there are TMC1 mutations linked to human deafness causing loss of conventional MET currents, hair cell degeneration, and deafness in mice. Finally, mutations of Tmc1 can alter the conductance and Ca(2+) selectivity of the MET channels. For several reasons though, it is unclear that TMC1 is indeed the MET channel pore: 1) in other animals or tissues, mutations of TMC family members do not directly affect cellular mechanosensitivity; 2) there are residual manifestations of mechanosensitivity in hair cells of mouse Tmc1:Tmc2 double knockouts; 3) there is so far no evidence that expression of mammalian Tmc1 generates a mechanically sensitive ion channel in the plasma membrane when expressed in heterologous cells; and 4) there are other proteins, such as TMIE and LHFPL5, which behave similarly to TMC1, their mutation also leading to loss of MET current and deafness. This review will present these disparate lines of evidence and describes recent work that addresses the role of TMC1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Fettiplace
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin.
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15
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Liu AP, Chaudhuri O, Parekh SH. New advances in probing cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Integr Biol (Camb) 2017; 9:383-405. [PMID: 28352896 PMCID: PMC5708530 DOI: 10.1039/c6ib00251j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides structural and biochemical support to cells within tissues. An emerging body of evidence has established that the ECM plays a key role in cell mechanotransduction - the study of coupling between mechanical inputs and cellular phenotype - through either mediating transmission of forces to the cells, or presenting mechanical cues that guide cellular behaviors. Recent progress in cell mechanotransduction research has been facilitated by advances of experimental tools, particularly microtechnologies, engineered biomaterials, and imaging and analytical methods. Microtechnologies have enabled the design and fabrication of controlled physical microenvironments for the study and measurement of cell-ECM interactions. Advances in engineered biomaterials have allowed researchers to develop synthetic ECMs that mimic tissue microenvironments and investigate the impact of altered physicochemical properties on various cellular processes. Finally, advanced imaging and spectroscopy techniques have facilitated the visualization of the complex interaction between cells and ECM in vitro and in living tissues. This review will highlight the application of recent innovations in these areas to probing cell-ECM interactions. We believe cross-disciplinary approaches, combining aspects of the different technologies reviewed here, will inspire innovative ideas to further elucidate the secrets of ECM-mediated cell control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen P. Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , MI 48109 , USA .
- Department of Biomedical Engineering , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , MI 48109 , USA
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , MI 48109 , USA
- Biophysics Program , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , MI 48109 , USA
| | - Ovijit Chaudhuri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , Stanford University , Stanford , CA 94305 , USA .
| | - Sapun H. Parekh
- Department of Molecular Spectroscopy , Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research , Mainz 55128 , Germany .
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16
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Larsen T, Doll JC, Loizeau F, Hosseini N, Peng AW, Fantner G, Ricci AJ, Pruitt BL. Rise Time Reduction of Thermal Actuators Operated in Air and Water through Optimized Pre-Shaped Open-Loop Driving. JOURNAL OF MICROMECHANICS AND MICROENGINEERING : STRUCTURES, DEVICES, AND SYSTEMS 2017; 27:045005. [PMID: 28989241 PMCID: PMC5625347 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6439/aa5fd2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Electrothermal actuators have many advantages compared to other actuators used in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). They are simple to design, easy to fabricate and provide large displacements at low voltages. Low voltages enable less stringent passivation requirements for operation in liquid. Despite these advantages, thermal actuation is typically limited to a few kHz bandwidth when using step inputs due to its intrinsic thermal time constant. However, the use of pre-shaped input signals offers a route for reducing the rise time of these actuators by orders of magnitude. We started with an electrothermally actuated cantilever having an initial 10-90% rise time of 85 μs in air and 234 μs in water for a standard open-loop step input. We experimentally characterized the linearity and frequency response of the cantilever when operated in air and water, allowing us to obtain transfer functions for the two cases. We used these transfer functions, along with functions describing desired reduced rise-time system responses, to numerically simulate the required input signals. Using these pre-shaped input signals, we improved the open-loop 10-90% rise time from 85 μs to 3 μs in air and from 234 μs to 5 μs in water, an improvement by a factor of 28 and 47, respectively. Using this simple control strategy for MEMS electrothermal actuators makes them an attractive alternative to other high speed micromechanical actuators such as piezoelectric stacks or electrostatic comb structures which are more complex to design, fabricate, or operate.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Larsen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - J C Doll
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - F Loizeau
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - N Hosseini
- Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Instrumentation, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Batiment BM 3109 Station 17, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - A W Peng
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - G Fantner
- Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Instrumentation, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Batiment BM 3109 Station 17, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - A J Ricci
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - B L Pruitt
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
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17
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Kim JW, Lee JH, Ma JH, Chung E, Choi H, Bok J, Cheon J. Magnetic Force Nanoprobe for Direct Observation of Audio Frequency Tonotopy of Hair Cells. NANO LETTERS 2016; 16:3885-91. [PMID: 27215487 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b01392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Sound perception via mechano-sensation is a remarkably sensitive and fast transmission process, converting sound as a mechanical input to neural signals in a living organism. Although knowledge of auditory hair cell functions has advanced over the past decades, challenges remain in understanding their biomechanics, partly because of their biophysical complexity and the lack of appropriate probing tools. Most current studies of hair cells have been conducted in a relatively low-frequency range (<1000 Hz); therefore, fast kinetic study of hair cells has been difficult, even though mammalians have sound perception of 20 kHz or higher. Here, we demonstrate that the magnetic force nanoprobe (MFN) has superb spatiotemporal capabilities to mechanically stimulate spatially-targeted individual hair cells with a temporal resolution of up to 9 μs, which is equivalent to approximately 50 kHz; therefore, it is possible to investigate avian hair cell biomechanics at different tonotopic regions of the cochlea covering a full hearing frequency range of 50 to 5000 Hz. We found that the variation of the stimulation frequency and amplitude of hair bundles creates distinct mechanical responsive features along the tonotopic axis, where the kinetics of the hair bundle recovery motion exhibits unique frequency-dependent characteristics: basal, middle, and apical hair bundles can effectively respond at their respective ranges of frequency. We revealed that such recovery kinetics possesses two different time constants that are closely related to the passive and active motilities of hair cells. The use of MFN is critical for the kinetics study of free-standing hair cells in a spatiotemporally distinct tonotopic organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Wook Kim
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Yonsei-IBS Institute, Yonsei University , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Hyun Lee
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Yonsei-IBS Institute, Yonsei University , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Eunna Chung
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Yonsei-IBS Institute, Yonsei University , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hongsuh Choi
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Yonsei-IBS Institute, Yonsei University , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Jinwoo Cheon
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Yonsei-IBS Institute, Yonsei University , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University , Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
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18
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Tao X, Fan Z, Nelson BJ, Dharuman G, Zhang W, Dong L, Li X. Internal Electron Tunneling Enabled Ultrasensitive Position/Force Peapod Sensors. NANO LETTERS 2015; 15:7281-7287. [PMID: 26457662 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b02362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The electron quantum tunneling effect guarantees the ultrahigh spatial resolution of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), but there have been no other significant applications of this effect after the invention of STM. Here we report the implementation of electron-tunneling-based high sensitivity transducers using a peapod B4C nanowire, where discrete Ni6Si2B nanorods are embedded in the nanowire in a peapod form. The deformation of the nanowire provides a higher order scaling effect between conductivity and deformation strain, thus allowing the potentials of position and force sensing at the picoscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyong Tao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Carolina , 300 Main Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology , Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Zheng Fan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University , East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1226, United States
| | - Bradley J Nelson
- Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zurich , CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gautham Dharuman
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University , East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1226, United States
| | - Wenkui Zhang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology , Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Lixin Dong
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University , East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1226, United States
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Carolina , 300 Main Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia , Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4746, United States
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19
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Fettiplace R, Kim KX. The physiology of mechanoelectrical transduction channels in hearing. Physiol Rev 2014; 94:951-86. [PMID: 24987009 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00038.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Much is known about the mechanotransducer (MT) channels mediating transduction in hair cells of the vertrbrate inner ear. With the use of isolated preparations, it is experimentally feasible to deliver precise mechanical stimuli to individual cells and record the ensuing transducer currents. This approach has shown that small (1-100 nm) deflections of the hair-cell stereociliary bundle are transmitted via interciliary tip links to open MT channels at the tops of the stereocilia. These channels are cation-permeable with a high selectivity for Ca(2+); two channels are thought to be localized at the lower end of the tip link, each with a large single-channel conductance that increases from the low- to high-frequency end of the cochlea. Ca(2+) influx through open channels regulates their resting open probability, which may contribute to setting the hair cell resting potential in vivo. Ca(2+) also controls transducer fast adaptation and force generation by the hair bundle, the two coupled processes increasing in speed from cochlear apex to base. The molecular intricacy of the stereocilary bundle and the transduction apparatus is reflected by the large number of single-gene mutations that are linked to sensorineural deafness, especially those in Usher syndrome. Studies of such mutants have led to the discovery of many of the molecules of the transduction complex, including the tip link and its attachments to the stereociliary core. However, the MT channel protein is still not firmly identified, nor is it known whether the channel is activated by force delivered through accessory proteins or by deformation of the lipid bilayer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Fettiplace
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Kyunghee X Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
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20
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Abstract
Uniquely among human senses, hearing is not simply a passive response to stimulation. Our auditory system is instead enhanced by an active process in cochlear hair cells that amplifies acoustic signals several hundred-fold, sharpens frequency selectivity and broadens the ear's dynamic range. Active motility of the mechanoreceptive hair bundles underlies the active process in amphibians and some reptiles; in mammals, this mechanism operates in conjunction with prestin-based somatic motility. Both individual hair bundles and the cochlea as a whole operate near a dynamical instability, the Hopf bifurcation, which accounts for the cardinal features of the active process.
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21
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Lee JH, Kim JW, Levy M, Kao A, Noh SH, Bozovic D, Cheon J. Magnetic nanoparticles for ultrafast mechanical control of inner ear hair cells. ACS NANO 2014; 8:6590-8. [PMID: 25004005 DOI: 10.1021/nn5020616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
We introduce cubic magnetic nanoparticles as an effective tool for precise and ultrafast control of mechanosensitive cells. The temporal resolution of our system is ∼1000 times faster than previously used magnetic switches and is comparable to the current state-of-the-art optogenetic tools. The use of a magnetism-gated switch reported here can address the key challenges of studying mechanotransduction in biological systems. The cube-shaped magnetic nanoparticles are designed to bind to components of cellular membranes and can be controlled with an electromagnet to exert pico-Newtons of mechanical force on the cells. The cubic nanoparticles can thus be used for noncontact mechanical control of the position of the stereocilia of an inner ear hair cell, yielding displacements of tens of nanometers, with sub-millisecond temporal resolution. We also prove that such mechanical stimulus leads to the influx of ions into the hair cell. Our study demonstrates that a magnetic switch can yield ultrafast temporal resolution, and has capabilities for remote manipulation and biological specificity, and that such magnetic system can be used for the study of mechanotransduction processes of a wide range of sensory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Hyun Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University , Seoul 120-749, Korea
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