Mechanoelectrical transduction by hair cells.
Hair cells of the inner ear are one of nature's great success stories, appearing early in vertebrate evolution and having a similar form in all vertebrate classes. They are specialized columnar epithelial cells, with an array of modified microvilli or stereocilia on their apical surface, interconnected by a series of linkages. The mechanical stimulus causes deflection of the stereocilia, stretching linkages between them, and opening the mechanotransducer channels. On a slower timescale, hair cells adapt in order to maintain optimum sensitivity, with an adaptation motor within the stereocilia acting to keep the resting tension on channels constant.
Pickles
J O
JO
Dept of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, Australia.
Corey
D P
DP
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D002923:Cilia / Q000502:physiology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000502:physiology
D002118:Calcium