Molecular mechanisms that regulate auditory hair-cell differentiation in the mammalian cochlea.
Mechanosensory hair cells of the vertebrate cochlea offer an excellent developmental system to study cell-fate specification, and to gain insight into the many human neurological deficits which result in a hearing loss, by affecting primarily the hair cells. Therefore, there is great interest in studying the molecular mechanisms that regulate their specification and differentiation. Recent studies, based mostly on loss-of-function experiments that target the role of Notch signaling and basic helix-loop-helix genes in inner-ear development have indicated that they can regulate mechanosensory hair cell-fate specification and their initial differentiation.
Zine
Azel
A
Université de Montpellier I, Institute des Neurosciences de Montpellier, INSERM U583, 34090 Montpellier, France. zine@montp.inserm.fr
D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014157:Transcription Factors; C497761:NOTCH1 protein, human