title: Magnetic actuation of hair cells.
abstract: The bullfrog sacculus contains mechanically sensitive hair cells whose stereociliary bundles oscillate spontaneously when decoupled from the overlying membrane. Steady-state offsets on the resting position of a hair bundle can suppress or modulate this native motility. To probe the dynamics of spontaneous oscillation in the proximity of the critical point, we describe here a method for mechanical actuation that avoids loading the bundles or contributing to the viscous drag. Magnetite beads were attached to the tips of the stereocilia, and a magnetic probe was used to impose deflections. This technique allowed us to observe the transition from multi-mode to single-mode state in freely oscillating bundles, as well as the crossover from the oscillatory to the quiescent state.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rowland
authors.forename: Yuttana
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Roongthumskul
authors.forename: Jae-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jinwoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheon
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bozovic