PROPERTIES OF VOLTAGE-GATED SODIUM CHANNELS IN DEVELOPING AUDITORY NEURONS OF THE MOUSE IN VITRO

Objective. To investigate the properties of voltage-gated sodium (Na+) channels in developing auditoryneurons during early postnatal stages in the mammalian central nervous system.Methods. Using the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique, we have studied changes in the electrophysi-ological properties of Na+ channels in the principal neurons of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB).Results. We found that MNTB neurons already express functional Na+ channels at postnatal day 1 (P1),and that channel density begins to increase at P5 when the neurons receive synaptic innervation andreach its maximum (～3 fold) at P11 when functional hearing onsets. These changes were paralleled byan age-dependent acceleration in both inactivation and recovery from inactivation. In contrast, there wasvery little alteration in the voltage-dependence of inactivation.Conclusion. These profound changes in the properties of voltage-gated Na+ channels may increase theexcitability of MNTB neurons and enhance their phase-locking fidelity and capacity during high-frequencysynaptic transmission.

Synchronization and firing mode transition of two neurons in a bilateral auditory system driven by a high–low frequency signal

The FitzHugh–Nagumo neuron circuit integrates a piezoelectric ceramic to form a piezoelectric sensing neuron,which can capture external sound signals and simulate the auditory neuron system.Two piezoelectric sensing neurons are coupled by a parallel circuit consisting of a Josephson junction and a linear resistor,and a binaural auditory system is established.Considering the non-singleness of external sound sources,the high–low frequency signal is used as the input signal to study the firing mode transition and synchronization of this system.It is found that the angular frequency of the high–low frequency signal is a key factor in determining whether the dynamic behaviors of two coupled neurons are synchronous.When they are in synchronization at a specific angular frequency,the changes in physical parameters of the input signal and the coupling strength between them will not destroy their synchronization.In addition,the firing mode of two coupled auditory neurons in synchronization is affected by the characteristic parameters of the high–low frequency signal rather than the coupling strength.The asynchronous dynamic behavior and variations in firing modes will harm the auditory system.These findings could help determine the causes of hearing loss and devise functional assistive devices for patients.

Response characteristics of an ascending auditory neuron AN3 and its projections in the brain of the bushcricket Gampsocleis grationsa

The phonotaxis of bushcrickets demonstrates that they have goodcapability of recognizing conspecific songs and locating the sound source,which bases on complicated auditory mechanisms of the central nervoussystem(CNS).This article describes the response characteristics of AN3,an auditory ascending neuron in the prothoracic ganglion,and its projec-tions within the brain.The AN3,with a quasi-tonic discharge pattern,has high sensitivity,directionality and ability to encode sound intensity.Therefore,it plays an important role in auditory information processingof CNS.Its projections in the brain are mainly concentrated in the lateralzone of the deutencephalon,where synaptically connecting local auditoryinterneurons in the brain.

FREQUENCY SELECTIVITY OF PRIMARY AUDITORY NEURONS IN THE BUSHCRICKET GAMPSOCIEIS GRATIOSA

Sound is one of the information carriers often used in animal communication. Sound produced by animals is useful not only in intraspecific communication,but also in alarm or aggression.Three basic problems in hearing should be resolved i. e. frequency selectivity, pattern recognition and sound direction. With intracellular recording and single cell staining techniques, frequency selectivity of primary auditory neurons in the bushcricket has been studied. Each neuron has its characteristic best frequency (BF) and tuning curve in response to sound. The central projections of their axons in the prothoracic ganglion are unikteral, non - transsegmental and of some corresponding relation to their BFs. Neural mechanisms for frequency analysis in species - specific song recognition of the bushcricket are discussed.

Transplantation of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells for repair of injured spiral ganglion neurons in deaf guinea pigs

Excessive noise, ototoxic drugs, infections, autoimmune diseases, and aging can cause loss of spiral ganglion neurons, leading to permanent sensorineural hearing loss in mammals. Stem cells have been confirmed to be able to differentiate into spiral ganglion neurons. Little has been reported on adipose tissue-derived stem cells（ADSCs） for repair of injured spiral ganglion neurons. In this study, we hypothesized that transplantation of neural induced-human ADSCs（NI-h ADSCs） can repair the injured spiral ganglion neurons in guinea pigs with neomycin-induced sensorineural hearing loss. NI-h ADSCs were induced with culture medium containing basic fibroblast growth factor and forskolin and then injected to the injured cochleae. Guinea pigs that received injection of Hanks＇ balanced salt solution into the cochleae were used as controls. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that at 8 weeks after cell transplantation, the number of surviving spiral ganglion neurons in the cell transplantation group was significantly increased than that in the control group. Also at 8 weeks after cell transplantation, immunohistochemical staining showed that a greater number of NI-h ADSCs in the spiral ganglions were detected in the cell transplantation group than in the control group, and these NI-h ADSCs expressed neuronal markers neurofilament protein and microtubule-associated protein 2. Within 8 weeks after cell transplantation, the guinea pigs in the cell transplantation group had a gradually decreased auditory brainstem response threshold, while those in the control group had almost no response to 80 d B of clicks or pure tone burst. These findings suggest that a large amount of NI-h ADSCs migrated to the spiral ganglions, survived for a period of time, repaired the injured spiral ganglion cells, and thereby contributed to the recovery of sensorineural hearing loss in guinea pigs.

The role of Rho GTPase family in cochlear hair cells and hearing

Rho GTPases are essential regulators of the actin cytoskeleton.They are involved in various physiological and biochemical processes such as the regulation of cytoskeleton dynamics,development,proliferation,survival,and regeneration.During the development of cochlear hair cells,Rho GTPases are activated by various extracellular signals through membrane receptors to further stimulate multiple downstream effectors.Specifically,RhoA,Cdc42,and Rac1,members of the classical subfamily of the Rho GTPase family,regulate the development and maintenance of cilia by inducing the polymerization of actin monomers and stabilizing actin filaments.In addition,they also regulate the normal morphology orientation of ciliary bundles in auditory hair cells,which is an important element of cell polarity regulation.Moreover,the actin-related pathways mediated by RhoA,Cdc42,and Rac1 also play a role in the motility of outer hair cells,indicating that the function of Rho GTPases is crucial in the highly polar auditory sensory system.In this review,we focus on the expression of RhoA,Cdc42,and Rac1 in cochlear hair cells and how these small molecules participate in ciliary bundle morphogenesis and cochlear hair cell movement.We also discuss the progress of current research investigating the use of these small molecules as drug targets for deafness treatment.

Directional sensitivity of auditory ascending neuron in the bushcricket Gampsocleis gratiosa

Quantitative analyses on phonotactic behavior of the bushcricket have demonstrated that the bushcricket possesses good capability to determine direction of sound source. The morphological structure, laterality and directional sensitivity of the auditory ascending neuron in the prothoracic ganglion of the bushcricket have been studied. At its best frequency of 15 kHz, the laterality threshold difference of the neuron is great up to about 16 dB. Its directional sensitivity depends closely on stimulus frequency. The higher the stimulus frequency, the greater the directional threshold differences. Spike count and latency shift of the ascending neuron in response to each stimulus depend on the angle of incidence of sound. Therefore, the two parameters can be used as directional cues of sound source by the ascending neuron.

Dynamic changes in hair cell ribbon synapse induced by loss of spiral ganglion neurons in mice

Background Previous studies have suggested that primary degeneration of hair cells causes secondary degeneration of spiral ganglion neurons （SGNs）,but the effect of SGN degeneration on hair cells has not been studied.In the adult mouse inner ear ouabain can selectively and permanently induce the degeneration of type 1 SGNs while leaving type 2 SGNs,efferent fibers,and sensory hair cells relatively intact.This study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes in hair cell ribbon synapse induced by loss of SGNs using ouabain application to the round window niche of adult mice.Methods In the analysis,24 CBA/CAJ mice aged 8-10 weeks,were used,of which 6 normal mice were used as the control group.After ouabain application in the round window niche 6 times in an hour,ABR threshold shifts at least 30 dB in the three experimental groups which had six mice for 1-week group,six for 1-month group,and six for 3-month group.All 24 animals underwent function test at 1 week and then immunostaining at 1 week,1 month,and 3 months.Results The loss of neurons was followed by degeneration of postsynaptic specializations at the afferent synapse with hair cells.One week after ouabain treatment,the nerve endings of type 1 SGNs and postsynaptic densities,as measured by Na/K ATPase and PSD-95,were affected but not entirely missing,but their partial loss had consequences for synaptic ribbons that form the presynaptic specialization at the synapse between hair cells and primary afferent neurons.Ribbon numbers in inner hair cells decreased （some of them broken and the ribbon number much decreased）,and the arrangement of the synaptic ribbons had undergone a dynamic reorganization：ribbons with or without associated postsynaptic densities moved from their normal location in the basal membrane of the cell to a more apical location and the neural endings alone were also found at more apical locations without associated ribbons.After 1 month,when the neural postsynaptic densities had completed their degeneration,most ribbons were lost and the remaining ribbons had no contact with postsynaptic densities; after 3 months,the ribbon synapses were gone except for an occasional remnant of a CtBP2-positive vesicle.Hair cells were intact other than the loss of ribbons （based on immunohistochemistry and DPOAE）.Conclusion These findings define the effect of SGN loss on the precise spatiotemporal size and location of ribbons and the time course of synaptic degeneration and provide a model for studying plasticity and regeneration.