Gene-based deafness research: ion transport and hearing.
The cochlea is a sensory organ that converts physical (sound) stimulation into electrical signals. This process is fundamentally and substantially based upon the ion transport system. Here, I summarize the physiological and molecular biological aspects of transporters, channels and receptors expressed in the cochlea. With reference to these findings, recent advances in genetic research on hereditary deafness are discussed.
Ikeda
Katsuhisa
K
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8431, Japan. ike@med.juntendo.ac.jp
D000818:Animals; D003051:Cochlea / Q000502:physiology*; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D003638:Deafness / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D028021:Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000502:physiology
D017630:Connexins; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D028021:Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase