Our results demonstrate that these connexins play a dual crucial role in inner ear Ca 2؉ signaling: as hemichannels, they promote ATP release, sustaining long-range ICS propagation; as GJ channels, they allow diffusion of Ca 2؉ -mobilizing second messengers across coupled cells.deafness ͉ mouse models ͉ P2x7 receptor ͉ pannexin ͉ biosensor cells

Auditory prostheses can partially restore speech comprehension when hearing fails. Sound coding with current prostheses is based on electrical stimulation of auditory neurons and has limited frequency resolution due to broad current spread within the cochlea. In contrast, optical stimulation can be spatially confined, which may improve frequency resolution. Here, we used animal models to characterize optogenetic stimulation, which is the optical stimulation of neurons genetically engineered to express the light-gated ion channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2).

Economic analysis study, level III. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

No abstract