Glass Probe Stimulation of Hair Cell Stereocilia.
Hair cells are designed to sense mechanical stimuli of sound using their apical stereocilia hair bundles. Mechanical deflection of this hair bundle is converted into an electrical signal through gating of mechano-electric transduction channels. Stiff probe stimulation of hair bundles is an invaluable tool for studying the transduction channel and its associated processes because of the speed and ability to precisely control hair bundle position. Proper construction of these devices is critical to their ultimate performance as is appropriate placement of the probe onto the hair bundle. Here we describe the construction and use of a glass probe coupled to a piezo-electric actuator for stimulating hair bundles, including the basic technique for positioning of the stimulating probe onto the hair bundle. These piezo-electric stimulators can be adapted to other mechanically sensitive systems.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Edwards Bldg., Stanford, CA, 94025, USA.|Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E 19th Ave Rm7127, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
Anthony W
AW
Peng
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Edwards Bldg., Stanford, CA, 94025, USA. aricci@stanford.edu.|Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94025, USA. aricci@stanford.edu.
Anthony J
AJ
Ricci
D000818:Animals; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D059547:Stereocilia / Q000502:physiology*
Auditory system; Hair bundle; Hair cell stereocilia; Hair cells; Mechanical stimulator; Mechanotransduction; Piezo-electric stimulation