The peripheral hearing mechanism: new biophysical concepts for transduction of the acoustic signal to an electrochemical event.
A theory of peripheral function in hearing is proposed. It accounts for temporal discrimination among simultaneously received wave and pulse signals, cochlear analysis of acoustic input, and transduction of acoustic energy into biochemical energy by means of resonance and ion-shuttling involving the tectorial membrane and hair-cell complex. The postulated mechanism is such that it can accommodate the enormous range of intensity accessible to the mammalian ear. Synthesized by the theory are numerous empirical observations and experimental results reported by a broad gamut of disciplines but hitherto not unified. Additional support derives from the characteristics of an artificial "cochlea" and an electret (protein) microphone or "ion exchange microphone" with implications for enzyme conformational change.
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D003053:Cochlear Duct / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D013997:Time Factors