Mechanotransduction by hair cells: models, molecules, and mechanisms.

Full Abstract

Mechanotransduction, the transformation of mechanical force into an electrical signal, allows living organisms to hear, register movement and gravity, detect touch, and sense changes in cell volume and shape. Hair cells in the inner ear are specialized mechanoreceptor cells that detect sound and head movement. The mechanotransduction machinery of hair cells is extraordinarily sensitive and responds to minute physical displacements on a submillisecond timescale. The recent discovery of several molecular constituents of the mechanotransduction machinery of hair cells provides a new framework for the interpretation of biophysical data and necessitates revision of prevailing models of mechanotransduction.

Author information

Author/s: Gillespie, Peter G (PG); Müller, Ulrich (U);

Affiliation: Oregon Hearing Research Center and Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Cell (Cell), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 139 (issue 1) : pp 33-44

Dates: Created 2009/10/06; Completed 2009/10/27;

PMID: 19804752, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 10/27/2009)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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