Have we found the tip link, transduction channel, and gating spring of the hair cell?
Recent reports have offered candidates for key components of the apparatus used for mechanotransduction in hair cells. TRPA1 and cadherin 23 have been proposed to be the transduction channel and component of the tip link, respectively; moreover, ankyrin repeats in TRPA1 have been proposed to be the gating spring. Although these are excellent candidates for the three components, definitive experiments supporting each identification have yet to be performed.
Gillespie
Peter G
PG
Oregon Hearing Research Center and Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA. gillespp@ohsu.edu
Dumont
Rachel A
RA
Kachar
Bechara
B
D000818:Animals; D000070585:Cadherin Related Proteins; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*
C442480:CDH23 protein, human; D000070585:Cadherin Related Proteins; D015820:Cadherins; D007473:Ion Channels