Expression of potassium channels in gerbil outer hair cells during development does not require neural induction.
Mammalian outer hair cells (OHCs) contain Ca and K channels in their synaptic pole. We questioned if the ontogeny of potassium currents of OHCs depends on the neural induction of early afferent contact. By recording whole-cell currents of OHCs grown in organotypic cultures deprived of afferent innervation, we show that a Ca-activated K channel is expressed in these cells, suggesting that the ontogeny of the K channel is an intrinsic process.
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Auditory Physiology Laboratory, Hugh Knowles Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. z-he2@nwu.edu
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D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005849:Gerbillinae; D018072:Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D009925:Organ of Corti / Q000502:physiology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology
D015221:Potassium Channels