Function and dysfunction of sensory hair cells and supporting cells

About this Research Topic

Background

Hair cells and supporting cells of inner ear and lateral line sensory organs evolved from a common cell type to accommodate diverse forms of mechanical input. As an example, hair cells express different sets of ion channels that shape the frequency, gain and time course of receptor potentials to optimize sensitivity to sounds, head or body motions. Comparative research on hair cells in diverse species drove early observations that formed a functional framework for subsequent molecular dissection. Now, genetic analyses, especially in zebrafish and mice, are accelerating our understanding of both canonical hair cell functions and the impact of evolved diversity. Recent advances feature the identification of proteins constituting the mechanosensing machinery of hair bundles, how electromechanical amplification arises from prestin, novel mechanisms of signal transmission across specialized synapses and how supporting cells contribute to the homeostasis , maturation and regeneration of hair cell epithelia.



We seek to highlight contemporary research into the function of sensory hair cells and supporting cells in diverse hair cell organs, with consideration of the major questions and impediments to full understanding of sensory processing in the inner ear.



We encourage functional and molecular-genetic studies in the development, mature function, and aging of hair cell epithelia, as well as dysfunctions arising through genetic mutations or ototoxic drug treatment. Such research is necessary for designing inner ear therapies, and provides basic insights into how mechanical stimuli are transduced and how electrochemical signals are shaped and transmitted that extend well beyond the inner ear.



We invite primary papers, review papers or commentaries that provide insight into hair cell or supporting cell function and dysfunction - dynamic or homeostatic, and from a diversity of approaches and model organisms and hair cell organs.

Topics of interest include mechanisms affecting the development, differentiation, aging, mature function, damage or repair of:

• mechanotransduction

• voltage-dependent or calcium signaling

• synaptic transmission

• homeostasis

• encoding or modulation of afferent signals

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: inner ear, auditory, vestibular, lateral line, cochlea, utricle, mechanoelectrical transduction hair cell synaptic transmission

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