title: Dynamic length regulation of sensory stereocilia.
abstract: Stereocilia, the mechanosensory organelles of hair cells, are a distinctive class of actin-based cellular protrusions with an unparalleled ability to regulate their lengths over time. Studies on actin turnover in stereocilia, as well as the identification of several deafness-related proteins essential for proper stereocilia structure and function, provide new insights into the mechanisms and molecules involved in stereocilia length regulation and long-term maintenance. Comparisons of ongoing investigations on stereocilia with studies on other actin protrusions offer new opportunities to further understand common principles for length regulation, the diversity of its mechanisms, and how the specific needs of each cell are met.
authors.affiliation: Section on Structural Cell Biology, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Manor
authors.forename: Bechara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kachar
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002923:Cilia / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009218:Myosins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D009218:Myosins