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Kersbergen CJ, Bergles DE. Priming central sound processing circuits through induction of spontaneous activity in the cochlea before hearing onset. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:522-537. [PMID: 38782701 PMCID: PMC11236524 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Sensory systems experience a period of intrinsically generated neural activity before maturation is complete and sensory transduction occurs. Here we review evidence describing the mechanisms and functions of this 'spontaneous' activity in the auditory system. Both ex vivo and in vivo studies indicate that this correlated activity is initiated by non-sensory supporting cells within the developing cochlea, which induce depolarization and burst firing of groups of nearby hair cells in the sensory epithelium, activity that is conveyed to auditory neurons that will later process similar sound features. This stereotyped neural burst firing promotes cellular maturation, synaptic refinement, acoustic sensitivity, and establishment of sound-responsive domains in the brain. While sensitive to perturbation, the developing auditory system exhibits remarkable homeostatic mechanisms to preserve periodic burst firing in deaf mice. Preservation of this early spontaneous activity in the context of deafness may enhance the efficacy of later interventions to restore hearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin J Kersbergen
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dwight E Bergles
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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2
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Ma Q, Zhang J, Qi W, Li Z, Jiang Y, Zhang M, He H, Su K, Shi H. Store-Operated Ca 2+ Channels Contribute to the Generation of Ca 2+ Waves in Interdental Cells in the Cochleae. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:1896-1904. [PMID: 37146126 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cochlear calcium (Ca2+) waves are vital regulators of the cochlear development and establishment of hearing function. Inner supporting cells are believed to be the main region generating Ca2+ waves that work as internal stimuli to coordinate the development of hair cells and the mapping of neurons in the cochlea. However, Ca2+ waves in interdental cells (IDCs) that connect to inner supporting cells and spiral ganglion neurons are rarely observed and poorly understood. Herein, we reported the mechanism of IDC Ca2+ wave formation and propagation by developing a single-cell Ca2+ excitation technology, which can easily be accomplished using a two-photon microscope for simultaneous microscopy and femtosecond laser Ca2+ excitation in any target individual cell in fresh cochlear tissues. We demonstrated that the store-operated Ca2+ channels in IDCs are responsible for Ca2+ wave formation in these cells. The specific architecture of the IDCs determines the propagation of Ca2+ waves. Our results provide the mechanism of Ca2+ formation in IDCs and a controllable, precise, and noninvasive technology to excite local Ca2+ waves in the cochlea, with good potential for research on cochlear Ca2+ and hearing functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Ma
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Jianning Zhang
- Yueyang Hospital of Integrative Chinese & Western Medicine Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Weidong Qi
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Huashan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Zhuangzhuang Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Yumeng Jiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Miao Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Hao He
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Kaiming Su
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Sleep Disordered Breathing, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Haibo Shi
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Sleep Disordered Breathing, Shanghai 200233, China
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3
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Closing the Gap between the Auditory Nerve and Cochlear Implant Electrodes: Which Neurotrophin Cocktail Performs Best for Axonal Outgrowth and Is Electrical Stimulation Beneficial? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032013. [PMID: 36768339 PMCID: PMC9916558 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophins promote neurite outgrowth of auditory neurons and may help closing the gap to cochlear implant (CI) electrodes to enhance electrical hearing. The best concentrations and mix of neurotrophins for this nerve regrowth are unknown. Whether electrical stimulation (ES) during outgrowth is beneficial or may direct axons is another open question. Auditory neuron explant cultures of distinct cochlear turns of 6-7 days old mice were cultured for four days. We tested different concentrations and combinations of BDNF and NT-3 and quantified the numbers and lengths of neurites with an advanced automated analysis. A custom-made 24-well electrical stimulator based on two bulk CIs served to test different ES strategies. Quantification of receptors trkB, trkC, p75NTR, and histological analysis helped to analyze effects. We found 25 ng/mL BDNF to perform best, especially in basal neurons, a negative influence of NT-3 in combined BDNF/NT-3 scenarios, and tonotopic changes in trk and p75NTR receptor stainings. ES largely impeded neurite outgrowth and glia ensheathment in an amplitude-dependent way. Apical neurons showed slight benefits in neurite numbers and length with ES at 10 and 500 µA. We recommend BDNF as a potent drug to enhance the man-machine interface, but CIs should be better activated after nerve regrowth.
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4
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Konecny L, Quadir R, Ninan A, Rodríguez-Contreras A. Neurovascular responses to neuronal activity during sensory development. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1025429. [DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1025429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the development of intercellular communication in sensory regions is relevant to elucidate mechanisms of physiological and pathological responses to oxygen shortage in the newborn brain. Decades of studies in laboratory rodents show that neuronal activity impacts sensory maturation during two periods of postnatal development distinguished by the maturation of accessory structures at the sensory periphery. During the first of these developmental periods, angiogenesis is modulated by neuronal activity, and physiological levels of neuronal activity cause local tissue hypoxic events. This correlation suggests that neuronal activity is upstream of the production of angiogenic factors, a process that is mediated by intermittent hypoxia caused by neuronal oxygen consumption. In this perspective article we address three theoretical implications based on this hypothesis: first, that spontaneous activity of sensory neurons has properties that favor the generation of intermittent tissue hypoxia in neonate rodents; second, that intermittent hypoxia promotes the expression of hypoxia inducible transcription factors (HIFs) in sensory neurons and astrocytes; and third, that activity-dependent production of angiogenic factors is involved in pathological oxygen contexts.
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5
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Chen J, Gao D, Sun L, Yang J. Kölliker’s organ-supporting cells and cochlear auditory development. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1031989. [PMID: 36304996 PMCID: PMC9592740 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1031989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The Kölliker’s organ is a transient cellular cluster structure in the development of the mammalian cochlea. It gradually degenerates from embryonic columnar cells to cuboidal cells in the internal sulcus at postnatal day 12 (P12)–P14, with the cochlea maturing when the degeneration of supporting cells in the Kölliker’s organ is complete, which is distinct from humans because it disappears at birth already. The supporting cells in the Kölliker’s organ play a key role during this critical period of auditory development. Spontaneous release of ATP induces an increase in intracellular Ca2+ levels in inner hair cells in a paracrine form via intercellular gap junction protein hemichannels. The Ca2+ further induces the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate from the synaptic vesicles of the inner hair cells, which subsequently excite afferent nerve fibers. In this way, the supporting cells in the Kölliker’s organ transmit temporal and spatial information relevant to cochlear development to the hair cells, promoting fine-tuned connections at the synapses in the auditory pathway, thus facilitating cochlear maturation and auditory acquisition. The Kölliker’s organ plays a crucial role in such a scenario. In this article, we review the morphological changes, biological functions, degeneration, possible trans-differentiation of cochlear hair cells, and potential molecular mechanisms of supporting cells in the Kölliker’s organ during the auditory development in mammals, as well as future research perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianyong Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Ear Science, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology and Translational Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dekun Gao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Ear Science, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology and Translational Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lianhua Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Ear Science, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology and Translational Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Lianhua Sun Jun Yang
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Ear Science, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology and Translational Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Lianhua Sun Jun Yang
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6
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Maul A, Huebner AK, Strenzke N, Moser T, Rübsamen R, Jovanovic S, Hübner CA. The Cl--channel TMEM16A is involved in the generation of cochlear Ca2+ waves and promotes the refinement of auditory brainstem networks in mice. eLife 2022; 11:72251. [PMID: 35129434 PMCID: PMC8871368 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Before hearing onset (postnatal day 12 in mice), inner hair cells (IHCs) spontaneously fire action potentials, thereby driving pre-sensory activity in the ascending auditory pathway. The rate of IHC action potential bursts is modulated by inner supporting cells (ISCs) of Kölliker’s organ through the activity of the Ca2+-activated Cl--channel TMEM16A (ANO1). Here, we show that conditional deletion of Ano1 (Tmem16a) in mice disrupts Ca2+ waves within Kölliker’s organ, reduces the burst-firing activity and the frequency selectivity of auditory brainstem neurons in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), and also impairs the functional refinement of MNTB projections to the lateral superior olive. These results reveal the importance of the activity of Kölliker’s organ for the refinement of central auditory connectivity. In addition, our study suggests the involvement of TMEM16A in the propagation of Ca2+ waves, which may also apply to other tissues expressing TMEM16A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Maul
- Neuroscience Department, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine
| | | | - Nicola Strenzke
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Göttingen
| | - Tobias Moser
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Göttingen
| | - Rudolf Rübsamen
- Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig
| | - Saša Jovanovic
- Faculty of Bioscience, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig
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7
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Levic S. SK Current, Expressed During the Development and Regeneration of Chick Hair Cells, Contributes to the Patterning of Spontaneous Action Potentials. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:766264. [PMID: 35069114 PMCID: PMC8770932 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.766264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Chick hair cells display calcium (Ca2+)-sensitive spontaneous action potentials during development and regeneration. The role of this activity is unclear but thought to be involved in establishing proper synaptic connections and tonotopic maps, both of which are instrumental to normal hearing. Using an electrophysiological approach, this work investigated the functional expression of Ca2+-sensitive potassium [IK(Ca)] currents and their role in spontaneous electrical activity in the developing and regenerating hair cells (HCs) in the chick basilar papilla. The main IK(Ca) in developing and regenerating chick HCs is an SK current, based on its sensitivity to apamin. Analysis of the functional expression of SK current showed that most dramatic changes occurred between E8 and E16. Specifically, there is a developmental downregulation of the SK current after E16. The SK current gating was very sensitive to the availability of intracellular Ca2+ but showed very little sensitivity to T-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, which are one of the hallmarks of developing and regenerating hair cells. Additionally, apamin reduced the frequency of spontaneous electrical activity in HCs, suggesting that SK current participates in patterning the spontaneous electrical activity of HCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snezana Levic
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Snezana Levic,
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8
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Martini FJ, Guillamón-Vivancos T, Moreno-Juan V, Valdeolmillos M, López-Bendito G. Spontaneous activity in developing thalamic and cortical sensory networks. Neuron 2021; 109:2519-2534. [PMID: 34293296 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Developing sensory circuits exhibit different patterns of spontaneous activity, patterns that are related to the construction and refinement of functional networks. During the development of different sensory modalities, spontaneous activity originates in the immature peripheral sensory structures and in the higher-order central structures, such as the thalamus and cortex. Certainly, the perinatal thalamus exhibits spontaneous calcium waves, a pattern of activity that is fundamental for the formation of sensory maps and for circuit plasticity. Here, we review our current understanding of the maturation of early (including embryonic) patterns of spontaneous activity and their influence on the assembly of thalamic and cortical sensory networks. Overall, the data currently available suggest similarities between the developmental trajectory of brain activity in experimental models and humans, which in the future may help to improve the early diagnosis of developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Martini
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
| | - Teresa Guillamón-Vivancos
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Verónica Moreno-Juan
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Miguel Valdeolmillos
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain
| | - Guillermina López-Bendito
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (UMH-CSIC), Sant Joan d'Alacant, Spain.
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9
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Kitcher SR, Pederson AM, Weisz CJC. Diverse identities and sites of action of cochlear neurotransmitters. Hear Res 2021; 419:108278. [PMID: 34108087 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Accurate encoding of acoustic stimuli requires temporally precise responses to sound integrated with cellular mechanisms that encode the complexity of stimuli over varying timescales and orders of magnitude of intensity. Sound in mammals is initially encoded in the cochlea, the peripheral hearing organ, which contains functionally specialized cells (including hair cells, afferent and efferent neurons, and a multitude of supporting cells) to allow faithful acoustic perception. To accomplish the demanding physiological requirements of hearing, the cochlea has developed synaptic arrangements that operate over different timescales, with varied strengths, and with the ability to adjust function in dynamic hearing conditions. Multiple neurotransmitters interact to support the precision and complexity of hearing. Here, we review the location of release, action, and function of neurotransmitters in the mammalian cochlea with an emphasis on recent work describing the complexity of signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siân R Kitcher
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Alia M Pederson
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Catherine J C Weisz
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
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10
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Di Guilmi MN, Rodríguez-Contreras A. Characterization of Developmental Changes in Spontaneous Electrical Activity of Medial Superior Olivary Neurons Before Hearing Onset With a Combination of Injectable and Volatile Anesthesia. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:654479. [PMID: 33935637 PMCID: PMC8081840 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.654479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work the impact of two widely used anesthetics on the electrical activity of auditory brainstem neurons was studied during postnatal development. Spontaneous electrical activity in neonate rats of either sex was analyzed through a ventral craniotomy in mechanically ventilated pups to carry out patch clamp and multi-electrode electrophysiology recordings in the medial region of the superior olivary complex (SOC) between birth (postnatal day 0, P0) and P12. Recordings were obtained in pups anesthetized with the injectable mix of ketamine/xylazine (K/X mix), with the volatile anesthetic isoflurane (ISO), or in pups anesthetized with K/X mix that were also exposed to ISO. The results of patch clamp recordings demonstrate for the first time that olivary and periolivary neurons in the medial region of the SOC fire bursts of action potentials. The results of multielectrode recordings suggest that the firing pattern of single units recorded in K/X mix is similar to that recorded in ISO anesthetized rat pups. Taken together, the results of this study provide a framework to use injectable and volatile anesthetics for future studies to obtain functional information on the activity of medial superior olivary neurons in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano Nicolás Di Guilmi
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Dr. Héctor N. Torres, INGEBI-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adrián Rodríguez-Contreras
- Department of Biology, Center for Discovery and Innovation, City College, Institute for Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Lasers, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
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11
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Voorn RA, Vogl C. Molecular Assembly and Structural Plasticity of Sensory Ribbon Synapses-A Presynaptic Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8758. [PMID: 33228215 PMCID: PMC7699581 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the mammalian cochlea, specialized ribbon-type synapses between sensory inner hair cells (IHCs) and postsynaptic spiral ganglion neurons ensure the temporal precision and indefatigability of synaptic sound encoding. These high-through-put synapses are presynaptically characterized by an electron-dense projection-the synaptic ribbon-which provides structural scaffolding and tethers a large pool of synaptic vesicles. While advances have been made in recent years in deciphering the molecular anatomy and function of these specialized active zones, the developmental assembly of this presynaptic interaction hub remains largely elusive. In this review, we discuss the dynamic nature of IHC (pre-) synaptogenesis and highlight molecular key players as well as the transport pathways underlying this process. Since developmental assembly appears to be a highly dynamic process, we further ask if this structural plasticity might be maintained into adulthood, how this may influence the functional properties of a given IHC synapse and how such plasticity could be regulated on the molecular level. To do so, we take a closer look at other ribbon-bearing systems, such as retinal photoreceptors and pinealocytes and aim to infer conserved mechanisms that may mediate these phenomena.
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MESH Headings
- Alcohol Oxidoreductases/genetics
- Alcohol Oxidoreductases/metabolism
- Animals
- Co-Repressor Proteins/genetics
- Co-Repressor Proteins/metabolism
- Cytoskeletal Proteins/genetics
- Cytoskeletal Proteins/metabolism
- Cytoskeleton/metabolism
- Cytoskeleton/ultrastructure
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner/metabolism
- Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner/ultrastructure
- Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer/metabolism
- Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer/ultrastructure
- Hair Cells, Vestibular/metabolism
- Hair Cells, Vestibular/ultrastructure
- Mechanotransduction, Cellular
- Mice
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
- Neuronal Plasticity/genetics
- Neuropeptides/genetics
- Neuropeptides/metabolism
- Rats
- Synapses/metabolism
- Synapses/ultrastructure
- Synaptic Transmission/genetics
- Synaptic Vesicles/metabolism
- Synaptic Vesicles/ultrastructure
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Affiliation(s)
- Roos Anouk Voorn
- Presynaptogenesis and Intracellular Transport in Hair Cells Junior Research Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany;
- Göttingen Graduate Center for Neurosciences, Biophysics and Molecular Biosciences, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- Collaborative Research Center 889 “Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing”, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Christian Vogl
- Presynaptogenesis and Intracellular Transport in Hair Cells Junior Research Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, Germany;
- Collaborative Research Center 889 “Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing”, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
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12
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Jovanovic S, Milenkovic I. Purinergic Modulation of Activity in the Developing Auditory Pathway. Neurosci Bull 2020; 36:1285-1298. [PMID: 33040238 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-020-00586-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Purinergic P2 receptors, activated by endogenous ATP, are prominently expressed on neuronal and non-neuronal cells during development of the auditory periphery and central auditory neurons. In the mature cochlea, extracellular ATP contributes to ion homeostasis, and has a protective function against noise exposure. Here, we focus on the modulation of activity by extracellular ATP during early postnatal development of the lower auditory pathway. In mammals, spontaneous patterned activity is conveyed along afferent auditory pathways before the onset of acoustically evoked signal processing. During this critical developmental period, inner hair cells fire bursts of action potentials that are believed to provide a developmental code for synaptic maturation and refinement of auditory circuits, thereby establishing a precise tonotopic organization. Endogenous ATP-release triggers such patterned activity by raising the extracellular K+ concentration and contributes to firing by increasing the excitability of auditory nerve fibers, spiral ganglion neurons, and specific neuron types within the auditory brainstem, through the activation of diverse P2 receptors. We review recent studies that provide new models on the contribution of purinergic signaling to early development of the afferent auditory pathway. Further, we discuss potential future directions of purinergic research in the auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasa Jovanovic
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Ivan Milenkovic
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.
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13
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Schade-Mann T, Münkner S, Eckrich T, Engel J. Calcium signaling in interdental cells during the critical developmental period of the mouse cochlea. Hear Res 2020; 389:107913. [PMID: 32120242 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.107913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The tectorial membrane (TM), a complex acellular structure that covers part of the organ of Corti and excites outer hair cells, is required for normal hearing. It consists of collagen fibrils and various glycoproteins, which are synthesized in embryonic and postnatal development by different cochlear cell types including the interdental cells (IDCs). At its modiolar side, the TM is fixed to the apical surfaces of IDCs, which form the covering epithelium of the spiral limbus. We performed confocal membrane imaging and Ca2+ imaging in IDCs of the developing mouse cochlea from birth to postnatal day 18 (P18). Using the fluorescent membrane markers FM 4-64 and CellMask™ Deep Red on explanted whole-mount cochlear epithelium, we identified the morphology of IDCs at different z-levels of the spiral limbus. Ca2+ imaging of Fluo-8 AM-loaded cochlear epithelia revealed spontaneous intracellular Ca2+ transients in IDCs at P0/1, P4/5, and P18. Their relative frequency was lowest on P0/1, increased by a factor of 12.5 on P4/5 and decreased to twice the initial value on P18. At all three ages, stimulation of IDCs with the trinucleotides ATP and UTP at 1 and 10 μM elicited Ca2+ transients of varying amplitude and shape. Before the onset of hearing, IDCs responded with robust Ca2+ oscillations. At P18, after the onset of hearing, ATP stimulation either caused Ca2+ oscillations or an initial Ca2+ peak followed by a plateau while the UTP response was unchanged from that at pre-hearing stage. Parameters of spontaneous and nucleotide-evoked Ca2+ transients such as amplitude, decay time and duration were markedly reduced during cochlear development, whereas the kinetics of the Ca2+ rise did not show relevant changes. Whether low-frequency spontaneous Ca2+ transients are necessary for the formation and maintenance of the tectorial membrane e.g. by regulating gene transcription needs to be elucidated in further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thore Schade-Mann
- Dept. of Biophysics & CIPMM, Hearing Research, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany; Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen University Medical Centre, Germany
| | - Stefan Münkner
- Dept. of Biophysics & CIPMM, Hearing Research, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Eckrich
- Dept. of Biophysics & CIPMM, Hearing Research, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Jutta Engel
- Dept. of Biophysics & CIPMM, Hearing Research, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.
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14
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Jeng JY, Ceriani F, Hendry A, Johnson SL, Yen P, Simmons DD, Kros CJ, Marcotti W. Hair cell maturation is differentially regulated along the tonotopic axis of the mammalian cochlea. J Physiol 2019; 598:151-170. [PMID: 31661723 PMCID: PMC6972525 DOI: 10.1113/jp279012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Key points Outer hair cells (OHCs) enhance the sensitivity and the frequency tuning of the mammalian cochlea. Similar to the primary sensory receptor, the inner hair cells (IHCs), the mature functional characteristics of OHCs are acquired before hearing onset. We found that OHCs, like IHCs, fire spontaneous Ca2+‐induced action potentials (APs) during immature stages of development, which are driven by CaV1.3 Ca2+ channels. We also showed that the development of low‐ and high‐frequency hair cells is differentially regulated during pre‐hearing stages, with the former cells being more strongly dependent on experience‐independent Ca2+ action potential activity.
Abstract Sound amplification within the mammalian cochlea depends upon specialized hair cells, the outer hair cells (OHCs), which possess both sensory and motile capabilities. In various altricial rodents, OHCs become functionally competent from around postnatal day 7 (P7), before the primary sensory inner hair cells (IHCs), which become competent at about the onset of hearing (P12). The mechanisms responsible for the maturation of OHCs and their synaptic specialization remain poorly understood. We report that spontaneous Ca2+ activity in the immature cochlea, which is generated by CaV1.3 Ca2+ channels, differentially regulates the maturation of hair cells along the cochlea. Under near‐physiological recording conditions we found that, similar to IHCs, immature OHCs elicited spontaneous Ca2+ action potentials (APs), but only during the first few postnatal days. Genetic ablation of these APs in vivo, using CaV1.3−/− mice, prevented the normal developmental acquisition of mature‐like basolateral membrane currents in low‐frequency (apical) hair cells, such as IK,n (carried by KCNQ4 channels), ISK2 and IACh (α9α10nAChRs) in OHCs and IK,n and IK,f (BK channels) in IHCs. Electromotility and prestin expression in OHCs were normal in CaV1.3−/− mice. The maturation of high‐frequency (basal) hair cells was also affected in CaV1.3−/− mice, but to a much lesser extent than apical cells. However, a characteristic feature in CaV1.3−/− mice was the reduced hair cell size irrespective of their cochlear location. We conclude that the development of low‐ and high‐frequency hair cells is differentially regulated during development, with apical cells being more strongly dependent on experience‐independent Ca2+ APs. Outer hair cells (OHCs) enhance the sensitivity and the frequency tuning of the mammalian cochlea. Similar to the primary sensory receptor, the inner hair cells (IHCs), the mature functional characteristics of OHCs are acquired before hearing onset. We found that OHCs, like IHCs, fire spontaneous Ca2+‐induced action potentials (APs) during immature stages of development, which are driven by CaV1.3 Ca2+ channels. We also showed that the development of low‐ and high‐frequency hair cells is differentially regulated during pre‐hearing stages, with the former cells being more strongly dependent on experience‐independent Ca2+ action potential activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yi Jeng
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Federico Ceriani
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Aenea Hendry
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Stuart L Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Piece Yen
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | | | - Corné J Kros
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Walter Marcotti
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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15
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Müller NIC, Sonntag M, Maraslioglu A, Hirtz JJ, Friauf E. Topographic map refinement and synaptic strengthening of a sound localization circuit require spontaneous peripheral activity. J Physiol 2019; 597:5469-5493. [PMID: 31529505 DOI: 10.1113/jp277757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Loss of the calcium sensor otoferlin disrupts neurotransmission from inner hair cells. Central auditory nuclei are functionally denervated in otoferlin knockout mice (Otof KOs) via gene ablation confined to the periphery. We employed juvenile and young adult Otof KO mice (postnatal days (P)10-12 and P27-49) as a model for lacking spontaneous activity and deafness, respectively. We studied the impact of peripheral activity on synaptic refinement in the sound localization circuit from the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) to the lateral superior olive (LSO). MNTB in vivo recordings demonstrated drastically reduced spontaneous spiking and deafness in Otof KOs. Juvenile KOs showed impaired synapse elimination and strengthening, manifested by broader MNTB-LSO inputs, imprecise MNTB-LSO topography and weaker MNTB-LSO fibres. The impairments persisted into young adulthood. Further functional refinement after hearing onset was undetected in young adult wild-types. Collectively, activity deprivation confined to peripheral protein loss impairs functional MNTB-LSO refinement during a critical prehearing period. ABSTRACT Circuit refinement is critical for the developing sound localization pathways in the auditory brainstem. In prehearing mice (hearing onset around postnatal day (P)12), spontaneous activity propagates from the periphery to central auditory nuclei. At the glycinergic projection from the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) to the lateral superior olive (LSO) of neonatal mice, super-numerous MNTB fibres innervate a given LSO neuron. Between P4 and P9, MNTB fibres are functionally eliminated, whereas the remaining fibres are strengthened. Little is known about MNTB-LSO circuit refinement after P20. Moreover, MNTB-LSO refinement upon activity deprivation confined to the periphery is largely unexplored. This leaves a considerable knowledge gap, as deprivation often occurs in patients with congenital deafness, e.g. upon mutations in the otoferlin gene (OTOF). Here, we analysed juvenile (P10-12) and young adult (P27-49) otoferlin knockout (Otof KO) mice with respect to MNTB-LSO refinement. MNTB in vivo recordings revealed drastically reduced spontaneous activity and deafness in knockouts (KOs), confirming deprivation. As RNA sequencing revealed Otof absence in the MNTB and LSO of wild-types, Otof loss in KOs is specific to the periphery. Functional denervation impaired MNTB-LSO synapse elimination and strengthening, which was assessed by glutamate uncaging and electrical stimulation. Impaired elimination led to imprecise MNTB-LSO topography. Impaired strengthening was associated with lower quantal content per MNTB fibre. In young adult KOs, the MNTB-LSO circuit remained unrefined. Further functional refinement after P12 appeared absent in wild-types. Collectively, we provide novel insights into functional MNTB-LSO circuit maturation governed by a cochlea-specific protein. The central malfunctions in Otof KOs may have implications for patients with sensorineuronal hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas I C Müller
- Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, D-67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Mandy Sonntag
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ayse Maraslioglu
- Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, D-67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Jan J Hirtz
- Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, D-67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany.,Physiology of Neuronal Networks, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, D-67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Eckhard Friauf
- Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, D-67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
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16
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Zhou Y, Pan P, Tan ZY, Ji YH. Voltage-gated Sodium Channels in Sensory Information Processing. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2019; 18:273-278. [DOI: 10.2174/1871527317666180627114849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Objective & Background:
Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) and potassium channels
are critical in the generation of action potentials in the nervous system. VGSCs and potassium
channels play important roles in the five fundamental senses of vision, audition, olfaction, taste and
touch. Dysfunctional VGSCs are associated with clinical sensory symptoms, such as hyperpselaphesia,
parosphresia, and so on.
Conclusion:
This short review highlights the recent advances in the study of VGSCs in sensory information
processing and discusses the potential role of VGSCs to serve as pharmacological targets for
the treatment of sensory system diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Zhou
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicology, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Ping Pan
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicology, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Tan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
| | - Yong-Hua Ji
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicology, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
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17
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Strengthening of the Efferent Olivocochlear System Leads to Synaptic Dysfunction and Tonotopy Disruption of a Central Auditory Nucleus. J Neurosci 2019; 39:7037-7048. [PMID: 31217330 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2536-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The auditory system in many mammals is immature at birth but precisely organized in adults. Spontaneous activity in the inner ear plays a critical role in guiding this maturation process. This is shaped by an efferent pathway that descends from the brainstem and makes transient direct synaptic contacts with inner hair cells. In this work, we used an α9 cholinergic nicotinic receptor knock-in mouse model (of either sex) with enhanced medial efferent activity (Chrna9L9'T, L9'T) to further understand the role of the olivocochlear system in the correct establishment of auditory circuits. Wave III of auditory brainstem responses (which represents synchronized activity of synapses within the superior olivary complex) was smaller in L9'T mice, suggesting a central dysfunction. The mechanism underlying this functional alteration was analyzed in brain slices containing the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), where neurons are topographically organized along a mediolateral (ML) axis. The topographic organization of MNTB physiological properties observed in wildtype (WT) was abolished in L9'T mice. Additionally, electrophysiological recordings in slices indicated MNTB synaptic alterations. In vivo multielectrode recordings showed that the overall level of MNTB activity was reduced in the L9'T The present results indicate that the transient cochlear efferent innervation to inner hair cells during the critical period before the onset of hearing is involved in the refinement of topographic maps as well as in setting the properties of synaptic transmission at a central auditory nucleus.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cochlear inner hair cells of altricial mammals display spontaneous electrical activity before hearing onset. The pattern and firing rate of these cells are crucial for the correct maturation of the central auditory pathway. A descending efferent innervation from the CNS contacts the hair cells during this developmental window. The present work shows that genetic enhancement of efferent function disrupts the orderly topographic distribution of biophysical and synaptic properties in the auditory brainstem and causes severe synaptic dysfunction. This work adds to the notion that the transient efferent innervation to the cochlea is necessary for the correct establishment of the central auditory circuitry.
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18
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Eckrich S, Hecker D, Sorg K, Blum K, Fischer K, Münkner S, Wenzel G, Schick B, Engel J. Cochlea-Specific Deletion of Ca v1.3 Calcium Channels Arrests Inner Hair Cell Differentiation and Unravels Pitfalls of Conditional Mouse Models. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:225. [PMID: 31178698 PMCID: PMC6538774 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Inner hair cell (IHC) Cav1.3 Ca2+ channels are multifunctional channels mediating Ca2+ influx for exocytosis at ribbon synapses, the generation of Ca2+ action potentials in pre-hearing IHCs and gene expression. IHCs of deaf systemic Cav1.3-deficient (Cav1.3-/-) mice stay immature because they fail to up-regulate voltage- and Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels but persistently express small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK2) channels. In pre-hearing wildtype mice, cholinergic neurons from the superior olivary complex (SOC) exert efferent inhibition onto spontaneously active immature IHCs by activating their SK2 channels. Because Cav1.3 plays an important role for survival, health and function of SOC neurons, SK2 channel persistence and lack of BK channels in systemic Cav1.3-/- IHCs may result from malfunctioning neurons of the SOC. Here we analyze cochlea-specific Cav1.3 knockout mice with green fluorescent protein (GFP) switch reporter function, Pax2::cre;Cacna1d-eGFPflex/flexand Pax2::cre;Cacna1d-eGFPflex/-. Profound hearing loss, lack of BK channels and persistence of SK2 channels in Pax2::cre;Cacna1d-eGFPflex/- mice recapitulated the phenotype of systemic Cav1.3-/- mice, indicating that in wildtype mice, regulation of SK2 and BK channel expression is independent of Cav1.3 expression in SOC neurons. In addition, we noticed dose-dependent GFP toxicity leading to death of basal coil IHCs of Pax2::cre;Cacna1d-eGFPflex/flex mice, likely because of high GFP concentration and small repair capacity. This and the slower time course of Pax2-driven Cre recombinase in switching two rather than one Cacna1d-eGFPflex allele lead us to study Pax2::cre;Cacna1d-eGFPflex/- mice. Notably, control Cacna1d-eGFPflex/- IHCs showed a significant reduction in Cav1.3 channel cluster sizes and currents, suggesting that the intronic construct interfered with gene translation or splicing. These pitfalls are likely to be a frequent problem of many genetically modified mice with complex or multiple gene-targeting constructs or fluorescent proteins. Great caution and appropriate controls are therefore required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Eckrich
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Dietmar Hecker
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Sorg
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Blum
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Fischer
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Münkner
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Gentiana Wenzel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schick
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Jutta Engel
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
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19
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Holman HA, Poppi LA, Frerck M, Rabbitt RD. Spontaneous and Acetylcholine Evoked Calcium Transients in the Developing Mouse Utricle. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:186. [PMID: 31133810 PMCID: PMC6514437 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous calcium transients are present during early postnatal development in the mouse retina and cochlea, and play an important role in maturation of the sensory organs and neural circuits in the central nervous system (CNS). It is not known whether similar calcium transients occur during postnatal development in the vestibular sensory organs. Here we demonstrate spontaneous intracellular calcium transients in sensory hair cells (HCs) and supporting cells (SCs) in the murine utricular macula during the first two postnatal weeks. Calcium transients were monitored using a genetically encoded calcium indicator, GCaMP5G (G5), at 100 ms-frame−1 in excised utricle sensory epithelia, including HCs, SCs, and neurons. The reporter line expressed G5 and tdTomato (tdT) in a Gad2-Cre dependent manner within a subset of utricular HCs, SCs and neurons. Kinetics of the G5 reporter limited temporal resolution to calcium events lasting longer than 200 ms. Spontaneous calcium transients lasting 1-2 s were observed in the expressing population of HCs at birth and slower spontaneous transients lasting 10-30 s appeared in SCs by P3. Beginning at P5, calcium transients could be modulated by application of the efferent neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh). In mature mice, calcium transients in the utricular macula occurred spontaneously, had a duration 1-2 s, and could be modulated by the exogenous application of acetylcholine (ACh) or muscarine. Long-lasting calcium transients evoked by ACh in mature mice were blocked by atropine, consistent with previous reports describing the role of muscarinic receptors expressed in calyx bearing afferents in efferent control of vestibular sensation. Large spontaneous and ACh evoked transients were reversibly blocked by the inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) antagonist aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB). Results demonstrate long-lasting calcium transients are present in the utricular macula during the first postnatal week, and that responses to ACh mature over this same time period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly A Holman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Lauren A Poppi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.,School of Biomedical Science and Pharmacy, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Micah Frerck
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Richard D Rabbitt
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.,Neuroscience Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.,Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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20
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Developmental Synaptic Changes at the Transient Olivocochlear-Inner Hair Cell Synapse. J Neurosci 2019; 39:3360-3375. [PMID: 30755493 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2746-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the mature mammalian cochlea, inner hair cells (IHCs) are mainly innervated by afferent fibers that convey sound information to the CNS. During postnatal development, however, medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent fibers transiently innervate the IHCs. The MOC-IHC synapse, functional from postnatal day 0 (P0) to hearing onset (P12), undergoes dramatic changes in the sensitivity to acetylcholine (ACh) and in the expression of key postsynaptic proteins. To evaluate whether there are associated changes in the properties of ACh release during this period, we used a cochlear preparation from mice of either sex at P4, P6-P7, and P9-P11 and monitored transmitter release from MOC terminals in voltage-clamped IHCs in the whole-cell configuration. The quantum content increased 5.6× from P4 to P9-P11 due to increases in the size and replenishment rate of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles without changes in their probability of release or quantum size. This strengthening in transmission was accompanied by changes in short-term plasticity properties, which switched from facilitation at P4 to depression at P9-P11. We have previously shown that at P9-P11, ACh release is supported by P/Q- and N-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) and negatively regulated by BK potassium channels activated by Ca2+ influx through L-type VGCCs. We now show that at P4 and P6-P7, release is mediated by P/Q-, R- and L-type VGCCs. Interestingly, L-type VGCCs have a dual role: they both support release and fuel BK channels, suggesting that at immature stages presynaptic proteins involved in release are less compartmentalized.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT During postnatal development before the onset of hearing, cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) present spontaneous Ca2+ action potentials that release glutamate at the first auditory synapse in the absence of sound stimulation. The IHC Ca2+ action potential frequency pattern, which is crucial for the correct establishment and function of the auditory system, is regulated by the efferent medial olivocochlear (MOC) system that transiently innervates IHCs during this period. We show here that developmental changes in synaptic strength and synaptic plasticity properties at the MOC-IHC synapse upon MOC fiber activation at different frequencies might be crucial for tightly shaping the pattern of afferent activity during this critical period.
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21
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Pangrsic T, Singer JH, Koschak A. Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels: Key Players in Sensory Coding in the Retina and the Inner Ear. Physiol Rev 2019; 98:2063-2096. [PMID: 30067155 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00030.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium influx through voltage-gated Ca (CaV) channels is the first step in synaptic transmission. This review concerns CaV channels at ribbon synapses in primary sense organs and their specialization for efficient coding of stimuli in the physical environment. Specifically, we describe molecular, biochemical, and biophysical properties of the CaV channels in sensory receptor cells of the retina, cochlea, and vestibular apparatus, and we consider how such properties might change over the course of development and contribute to synaptic plasticity. We pay particular attention to factors affecting the spatial arrangement of CaV channels at presynaptic, ribbon-type active zones, because the spatial relationship between CaV channels and release sites has been shown to affect synapse function critically in a number of systems. Finally, we review identified synaptopathies affecting sensory systems and arising from dysfunction of L-type, CaV1.3, and CaV1.4 channels or their protein modulatory elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Pangrsic
- Synaptic Physiology of Mammalian Vestibular Hair Cells Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen and Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine , Göttingen, Germany ; Department of Biology, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland ; and Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Innsbruck , Innsbruck , Austria
| | - Joshua H Singer
- Synaptic Physiology of Mammalian Vestibular Hair Cells Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen and Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine , Göttingen, Germany ; Department of Biology, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland ; and Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Innsbruck , Innsbruck , Austria
| | - Alexandra Koschak
- Synaptic Physiology of Mammalian Vestibular Hair Cells Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen and Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine , Göttingen, Germany ; Department of Biology, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland ; and Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Innsbruck , Innsbruck , Austria
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22
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Harrus AG, Ceccato JC, Sendin G, Bourien J, Puel JL, Nouvian R. Spiking Pattern of the Mouse Developing Inner Hair Cells Is Mostly Invariant Along the Tonotopic Axis. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:407. [PMID: 30524238 PMCID: PMC6262317 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
During development, the sensory cells of the cochlea, the inner hair cells (IHCs), fire spontaneous calcium action potentials. This activity at the pre-hearing stage allows the IHCs to autonomously excite the auditory nerve fibers and hence, represents an efficient mechanism to shape the tonotopic organization along the ascending auditory pathway. Using calcium imaging, we show that the activity in the developing cochlea consists of calcium waves that propagate across the supporting and sensory cells. Both basal and apical IHCs were characterized by similar spontaneous calcium transients interspaced with silent periods, consistent with bursts of action potentials recorded in patch-clamp. In addition, adjacent auditory hair cells tend to have a synchronized [Ca2+]i activity, irrespective of their location along the base-to-apex gradient of the cochlea. Finally, we show that the mechanical ablation of the inner phalangeal cells (IPCs), a class of supporting cells, reduces the synchronized [Ca2+]i activity between neighboring sensory cells. These findings support the hypothesis that the tonotopic map refinement in higher auditory centers would depend on the synchronization of a discrete number of auditory sensory cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Gabrielle Harrus
- Institut des Neurosciences de Montpellier (INM), Inserm, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Charles Ceccato
- Institut des Neurosciences de Montpellier (INM), Inserm, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Gaston Sendin
- Institut des Neurosciences de Montpellier (INM), Inserm, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jérôme Bourien
- Institut des Neurosciences de Montpellier (INM), Inserm, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Luc Puel
- Institut des Neurosciences de Montpellier (INM), Inserm, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Régis Nouvian
- Institut des Neurosciences de Montpellier (INM), Inserm, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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23
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Frank MM, Goodrich LV. Talking back: Development of the olivocochlear efferent system. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2018; 7:e324. [PMID: 29944783 PMCID: PMC6185769 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Developing sensory systems must coordinate the growth of neural circuitry spanning from receptors in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) to multilayered networks within the central nervous system (CNS). This breadth presents particular challenges, as nascent processes must navigate across the CNS-PNS boundary and coalesce into a tightly intermingled wiring pattern, thereby enabling reliable integration from the PNS to the CNS and back. In the auditory system, feedforward spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) from the periphery collect sound information via tonotopically organized connections in the cochlea and transmit this information to the brainstem for processing via the VIII cranial nerve. In turn, feedback olivocochlear neurons (OCNs) housed in the auditory brainstem send projections into the periphery, also through the VIII nerve. OCNs are motor neuron-like efferent cells that influence auditory processing within the cochlea and protect against noise damage in adult animals. These aligned feedforward and feedback systems develop in parallel, with SGN central axons reaching the developing auditory brainstem around the same time that the OCN axons extend out toward the developing inner ear. Recent findings have begun to unravel the genetic and molecular mechanisms that guide OCN development, from their origins in a generic pool of motor neuron precursors to their specialized roles as modulators of cochlear activity. One recurrent theme is the importance of efferent-afferent interactions, as afferent SGNs guide OCNs to their final locations within the sensory epithelium, and efferent OCNs shape the activity of the developing auditory system. This article is categorized under: Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: Regional Development.
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Wolter S, Möhrle D, Schmidt H, Pfeiffer S, Zelle D, Eckert P, Krämer M, Feil R, Pilz PKD, Knipper M, Rüttiger L. GC-B Deficient Mice With Axon Bifurcation Loss Exhibit Compromised Auditory Processing. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:65. [PMID: 30275816 PMCID: PMC6152484 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory axon T-like branching (bifurcation) in neurons from dorsal root ganglia and cranial sensory ganglia depends on the molecular signaling cascade involving the secreted factor C-type natriuretic peptide, the natriuretic peptide receptor guanylyl cyclase B (GC-B; also known as Npr2) and cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (cGKI, also known as PKGI). The bifurcation of cranial nerves is suggested to be important for information processing by second-order neurons in the hindbrain or spinal cord. Indeed, mice with a spontaneous GC-B loss of function mutation (Npr2cn/cn ) display an impaired bifurcation of auditory nerve (AN) fibers. However, these mice did not show any obvious sign of impaired basal hearing. Here, we demonstrate that mice with a targeted inactivation of the GC-B gene (Npr2 lacZ/lacZ , GC-B KO mice) show an elevation of audiometric thresholds. In the inner ear, the cochlear hair cells in GC-B KO mice were nevertheless similar to those from wild type mice, justified by the typical expression of functionally relevant marker proteins. However, efferent cholinergic feedback to inner and outer hair cells was reduced in GC-B KO mice, linked to very likely reduced rapid efferent feedback. Sound-evoked AN responses of GC-B KO mice were elevated, a feature that is known to occur when the efferent axo-dendritic feedback on AN is compromised. Furthermore, late sound-evoked brainstem responses were significantly delayed in GC-B KO mice. This delay in sound response was accompanied by a weaker sensitivity of the auditory steady state response to amplitude-modulated sound stimuli. Finally, the acoustic startle response (ASR) - one of the fastest auditory responses - and the prepulse inhibition of the ASR indicated significant changes in temporal precision of auditory processing. These findings suggest that GC-B-controlled axon bifurcation of spiral ganglion neurons is important for proper activation of second-order neurons in the hindbrain and is a prerequisite for proper temporal auditory processing likely by establishing accurate efferent top-down control circuits. These data hypothesize that the bifurcation pattern of cranial nerves is important to shape spatial and temporal information processing for sensory feedback control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Wolter
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dorit Möhrle
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hannes Schmidt
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sylvia Pfeiffer
- Department of Animal Physiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dennis Zelle
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Physiological Acoustics and Communication, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Eckert
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Krämer
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Robert Feil
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter K D Pilz
- Department of Animal Physiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marlies Knipper
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Darville LNF, Sokolowski BHA. Label-free quantitative mass spectrometry analysis of differential protein expression in the developing cochlear sensory epithelium. Proteome Sci 2018; 16:15. [PMID: 30127667 PMCID: PMC6091194 DOI: 10.1186/s12953-018-0144-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The sensory epithelium of the inner ear converts the mechanical energy of sound to electro-chemical energy recognized by the central nervous system. This process is mediated by receptor cells known as hair cells that express proteins in a timely fashion with the onset of hearing. Methods The proteomes of 3, 14, and 30 day-old mice cochlear sensory epithelia were revealed, using label-free quantitative mass spectrometry (LTQ-Orbitrap). Statistical analysis using a one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s post-hoc test was used to show significant differences in protein expression. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to observe networks of differentially expressed proteins, their biological processes, and associated diseases, while Cytoscape software was used to determine putative interactions with select biomarker proteins. These candidate biomarkers were further verified using Western blotting, while coimmunoprecipitation was used to verify putative partners determined using bioinformatics. Results We show that a comparison across all three proteomes shows that there are 447 differentially expressed proteins, with 387 differentially expressed between postnatal day 3 and 30. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed ~ 62% of postnatal day 3 downregulated proteins are involved in neurological diseases. Several proteins are expressed exclusively on P3, including Parvin α, Drebrin1 (Drb1), Secreted protein acidic and cysteine rich (SPARC), Transmembrane emp24 domain-containing protein 10 (Tmed10). Coimmunoprecipitations showed that Parvin and SPARC interact with integrin-linked protein kinase and the large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel, respectively. Conclusions Quantitative mass spectrometry revealed the identification of numerous differentially regulated proteins over three days of postnatal development. These data provide insights into functional pathways regulating normal sensory and supporting cell development in the cochlea that include potential biomarkers. Interacting partners of two of these markers suggest the importance of these complexes in regulating cellular structure and synapse development. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12953-018-0144-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lancia N F Darville
- Morsani College of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612 USA
| | - Bernd H A Sokolowski
- Morsani College of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612 USA
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Eckrich T, Blum K, Milenkovic I, Engel J. Fast Ca 2+ Transients of Inner Hair Cells Arise Coupled and Uncoupled to Ca 2+ Waves of Inner Supporting Cells in the Developing Mouse Cochlea. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:264. [PMID: 30104958 PMCID: PMC6077211 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Before the onset of hearing, which occurs around postnatal day 12 (P12) in mice, inner hair cells (IHCs) of the immature cochlea generate sound-independent Ca2+ action potentials (APs), which stimulate the auditory pathway and guide maturation of neuronal circuits. During these early postnatal days, intercellular propagating Ca2+ waves elicited by ATP-induced ATP release are found in inner supporting cells (ISCs). It is debated whether IHCs are able to fire Ca2+ APs independently or require a trigger by an ISC Ca2+ wave. To identify the Ca2+ transients of IHCs underlying Ca2+ APs and to analyze their dependence on ISC Ca2+ waves, we performed fast Ca2+ imaging of Fluo-8 AM-loaded organs of Corti at P4/P5. Fast Ca2+ transients (fCaTs) generated by IHCs were simultaneously imaged with Ca2+ waves in ISCs. ISC Ca2+ waves frequently evoked bursts consisting of >5 fCaTs in multiple adjacent IHCs. Although Ca2+ elevations of small amplitude appeared to be triggered by ISC Ca2+ waves in IHCs of Cav1.3 knockout mice we never observed fCaTs, indicating their requirement for Ca2+ influx through Cav1.3 channels. The Ca2+ wave-triggered Ca2+ upstroke in wildtype IHCs occurred 0.52 ± 0.27 s later than the rise of the Ca2+ signal in the adjacent ISCs. In comparison, superfusion of 1 μM ATP elicited bursts of fCaTs in IHCs starting 0.99 ± 0.34 s prior to Ca2+ elevations in adjacent ISCs. PPADS irreversibly abolished Ca2+ waves in ISCs and reversibly reduced fCaTs in IHCs indicating differential involvement of P2 receptors. IHC and ISC Ca2+ signals were however unaltered in P2X2R/P2X3R double knockout or in P2X7R knockout mice. Together, our data revealed a fairly similar occurrence of fCaTs within a burst (56.5%) compared with 43.5% as isolated single fCaTs or in groups of 2–5 fCaTs (minibursts). We provide evidence that IHCs autonomously generate single fCaTs and minibursts whereas bursts synchronized between neighboring IHCs were mostly triggered by ISC Ca2+ waves. Neonatal IHCs thus spontaneously generate electrical and Ca2+ activity, which is enhanced and largely synchronized by activity of ISCs of Kölliker’s organ indicating two sources of spontaneous activity in the developing auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Eckrich
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Blum
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Ivan Milenkovic
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jutta Engel
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
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Voltage-Gated Calcium Influx Modifies Cholinergic Inhibition of Inner Hair Cells in the Immature Rat Cochlea. J Neurosci 2018; 38:5677-5687. [PMID: 29789373 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0230-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Until postnatal day (P) 12, inner hair cells of the rat cochlea are invested with both afferent and efferent synaptic connections. With the onset of hearing at P12, the efferent synapses disappear, and afferent (ribbon) synapses operate with greater efficiency. This change coincides with increased expression of voltage-gated potassium channels, the loss of calcium-dependent electrogenesis, and the onset of graded receptor potentials driven by sound. The transient efferent synapses include near-membrane postsynaptic cisterns thought to regulate calcium influx through the hair cell's α9-containing and α10-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. This influx activates small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) channels. Serial-section electron microscopy of inner hair cells from two 9-d-old (male) rat pups revealed many postsynaptic efferent cisterns and presynaptic afferent ribbons whose average minimal separation in five cells ranged from 1.1 to 1.7 μm. Efferent synaptic function was studied in rat pups (age, 7-9 d) of either sex. The duration of these SK channel-mediated IPSCs was increased by enhanced calcium influx through L-type voltage-gated channels, combined with ryanodine-sensitive release from internal stores-presumably the near-membrane postsynaptic cistern. These data support the possibility that inner hair cell calcium electrogenesis modulates the efficacy of efferent inhibition during the maturation of inner hair cell synapses.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Strict calcium buffering is essential for cellular function. This problem is especially acute for compact hair cells where increasing cytoplasmic calcium promotes the opposing functions of closely adjoining afferent and efferent synapses. The near-membrane postsynaptic cistern at efferent synapses segregates synaptic calcium signals by acting as a dynamic calcium store. The hair cell serves as an informative model for synapses with postsynaptic cisterns (C synapses) found in central neurons.
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A Gain-of-Function Mutation in the α9 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Alters Medial Olivocochlear Efferent Short-Term Synaptic Plasticity. J Neurosci 2018; 38:3939-3954. [PMID: 29572431 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2528-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Gain control of the auditory system operates at multiple levels. Cholinergic medial olivocochlear (MOC) fibers originate in the brainstem and make synaptic contacts at the base of the outer hair cells (OHCs), the final targets of several feedback loops from the periphery and higher-processing centers. Efferent activation inhibits OHC active amplification within the mammalian cochlea, through the activation of a calcium-permeable α9α10 ionotropic cholinergic nicotinic receptor (nAChR), functionally coupled to calcium activated SK2 potassium channels. Correct operation of this feedback requires careful matching of acoustic input with the strength of cochlear inhibition (Galambos, 1956; Wiederhold and Kiang, 1970; Gifford and Guinan, 1987), which is driven by the rate of MOC activity and short-term facilitation at the MOC-OHC synapse (Ballestero et al., 2011; Katz and Elgoyhen, 2014). The present work shows (in mice of either sex) that a mutation in the α9α10 nAChR with increased duration of channel gating (Taranda et al., 2009) greatly elongates hair cell-evoked IPSCs and Ca2+ signals. Interestingly, MOC-OHC synapses of L9'T mice presented reduced quantum content and increased presynaptic facilitation. These phenotypic changes lead to enhanced and sustained synaptic responses and OHC hyperpolarization upon high-frequency stimulation of MOC terminals. At the cochlear physiology level these changes were matched by a longer time course of efferent MOC suppression. This indicates that the properties of the MOC-OHC synapse directly determine the efficacy of the MOC feedback to the cochlea being a main player in the "gain control" of the auditory periphery.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Plasticity can involve reciprocal signaling across chemical synapses. An opportunity to study this phenomenon occurs in the mammalian cochlea whose sensitivity is regulated by efferent olivocochlear neurons. These release acetylcholine to inhibit sensory hair cells. A point mutation in the hair cell's acetylcholine receptor that leads to increased gating of the receptor greatly elongates IPSCs. Interestingly, efferent terminals from mutant mice present a reduced resting release probability. However, upon high-frequency stimulation transmitter release facilitates strongly to produce stronger and far longer-lasting inhibition of cochlear function. Thus, central neuronal feedback on cochlear hair cells provides an opportunity to define plasticity mechanisms in cholinergic synapses other than the highly studied neuromuscular junction.
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Compartmentalization of antagonistic Ca 2+ signals in developing cochlear hair cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E2095-E2104. [PMID: 29439202 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1719077115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
During a critical developmental period, cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) exhibit sensory-independent activity, featuring action potentials in which Ca2+ ions play a fundamental role in driving both spiking and glutamate release onto synapses with afferent auditory neurons. This spontaneous activity is controlled by a cholinergic input to the IHC, activating a specialized nicotinic receptor with high Ca2+ permeability, and coupled to the activation of hyperpolarizing SK channels. The mechanisms underlying distinct excitatory and inhibitory Ca2+ roles within a small, compact IHC are unknown. Making use of Ca2+ imaging, afferent auditory bouton recordings, and electron microscopy, the present work shows that unusually high intracellular Ca2+ buffering and "subsynaptic" cisterns provide efficient compartmentalization and tight control of cholinergic Ca2+ signals. Thus, synaptic efferent Ca2+ spillover and cross-talk are prevented, and the cholinergic input preserves its inhibitory signature to ensure normal development of the auditory system.
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30
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Liu J, Cai L, He Y, Yang J. Apoptosis pattern and alterations of expression of apoptosis-related factors of supporting cells in Kölliker's organ in vivo in early stage after birth in rats. Eur J Histochem 2017; 61:2706. [PMID: 29046047 PMCID: PMC5572717 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2017.2706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Kolliker’s organ is a temporary but indispensable structure in the development of the cochlea. Supporting cells (SCs) within it release adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP), which may play a crucial role in cochlear development before the onset of hearing. To reveal the apoptosis of Kolliker’s organ in new-born rats, we studied the morphological changes and expression of apoptosis-related factors during early postnatal development. We found SCs in Kolliker’s organ decreased in number and changed in appearance along the cochlea apex-to-base gradient, and the expression of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase- 9 and bcl-2 in Kolliker’s organ of the cochlea fluctuated along the course of postnatal development, with an expression peak at postnatal day 3. This study demonstrates a time-dependent degeneration of Kolliker’s organ during postnatal cochlea development, which might be triggered by endogenous factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine.
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31
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Steinert JR. Activated inhibition in regulating excitability. J Physiol 2017; 595:3243-3244. [PMID: 28295346 PMCID: PMC5451725 DOI: 10.1113/jp274196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joern R Steinert
- MRC Toxicology Unit, Hodgkin Building, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK
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32
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Ye Z, Goutman JD, Pyott SJ, Glowatzki E. mGluR1 enhances efferent inhibition of inner hair cells in the developing rat cochlea. J Physiol 2017; 595:3483-3495. [PMID: 28211069 DOI: 10.1113/jp272604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Spontaneous activity of the sensory inner hair cells shapes maturation of the developing ascending (afferent) auditory system before hearing begins. Just before the onset of hearing, descending (efferent) input from cholinergic neurons originating in the brainstem inhibit inner hair cell spontaneous activity and may further refine maturation. We show that agonist activation of the group I metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR1 increases the strength of this efferent inhibition by enhancing the presynaptic release of acetylcholine. We further show that the endogenous release of glutamate from the inner hair cells may increase the strength of efferent inhibition via the activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors. Thus, before the onset of hearing, metabotropic glutamate signalling establishes a local negative feedback loop that is positioned to regulate inner hair cell excitability and refine maturation of the auditory system. ABSTRACT Just before the onset of hearing, the inner hair cells (IHCs) receive inhibitory efferent input from cholinergic medial olivocochlear (MOC) neurons originating in the brainstem. This input may serve a role in the maturation of the ascending (afferent) auditory system by inhibiting spontaneous activity of the IHCs. To investigate the molecular mechanisms regulating these IHC efferent synapses, we combined electrical stimulation of the efferent fibres with patch clamp recordings from the IHCs to measure efferent synaptic strength. By examining evoked responses, we show that activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) by general and group I-specific mGluR agonists enhances IHC efferent inhibition. This enhancement is blocked by application of a group I mGluR1-specific antagonist, indicating that enhancement of IHC efferent inhibition is mediated by group I mGluRs and specifically by mGluR1s. By comparing spontaneous and evoked responses, we show that group I mGluR agonists act presynaptically to increase neurotransmitter release without affecting postsynaptic responsiveness. Moreover, endogenous glutamate released from the IHCs also enhances IHC efferent inhibition via the activation of group I mGluRs. Finally, immunofluorescence analysis indicates that the efferent terminals are sufficiently close to IHC glutamate release sites to allow activation of mGluRs on the efferent terminals by glutamate spillover. Together, these results suggest that glutamate released from the IHCs activates group I mGluRs (mGluR1s), probably present on the efferent terminals, which, in turn, enhances release of acetylcholine and inhibition of the IHCs. Thus, mGluRs establish a local negative feedback loop positioned to regulate IHC activity and maturation of the ascending auditory system in the developing cochlea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanlei Ye
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Molecular Cellular Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Juan D Goutman
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, 1428, C. A. Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sonja J Pyott
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth Glowatzki
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Neuroscience, The Center for Hearing and Balance and the Center for Sensory Biology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Sierksma MC, Tedja MS, Borst JGG. In vivo matching of postsynaptic excitability with spontaneous synaptic inputs during formation of the rat calyx of Held synapse. J Physiol 2016; 595:207-231. [PMID: 27426483 DOI: 10.1113/jp272780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Neurons in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body of anaesthetized rats of postnatal day (P)2-6 showed burst firing with a preferred interval of about 100 ms, which was stable, and a second preferred interval of 5-30 ms, which shortened during development. In 3 out of 132 cases, evidence for the presence of two large inputs was found. In vivo whole-cell recordings revealed that the excitability of the principal neuron and the size of its largest synaptic inputs were developmentally matched. At P2-4, action potentials were triggered by barrages of small synaptic events that summated to plateau potentials, while at later stages firing depended on a single, large and often prespike-associated input, which is probably the nascent calyx of Held. Simulations with a Hodgkin-Huxley-like model, which was based on fits of the intrinsic postsynaptic properties, suggested an essential role for the low-threshold potassium conductance in this transition. ABSTRACT In the adult, principal neurons of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) are typically contacted by a single, giant terminal called the calyx of Held, whereas during early development a principal neuron receives inputs from many axons. How these changes in innervation impact the postsynaptic activity has not yet been studied in vivo. We therefore recorded spontaneous inputs and intrinsic properties of principal neurons in anaesthetized rat pups during the developmental period in which the calyx forms. A characteristic bursting pattern could already be observed at postnatal day (P)2, before formation of the calyx. At this age, action potentials (APs) were triggered by barrages of summating EPSPs causing plateau depolarizations. In contrast, at P5, a single EPSP reliably triggered APs, resulting in a close match between pre- and postsynaptic firing. Postsynaptic excitability and the size of the largest synaptic events were developmentally matched. The developmental changes in intrinsic properties were estimated by fitting in vivo current injections to a Hodgkin-Huxley-type model of the principal neuron. Our simulations indicated that the developmental increases in Ih , low-threshold K+ channels and leak currents contributed to the reduction in postsynaptic excitability, but that low-threshold K+ channels specifically functioned as a dampening influence in the near-threshold range, thus precluding small inputs from triggering APs. Together, these coincident changes help to propagate bursting activity along the auditory brainstem, and are essential steps towards establishing the relay function of the calyx of Held synapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn C Sierksma
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Milly S Tedja
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J Gerard G Borst
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Roux I, Wu JS, McIntosh JM, Glowatzki E. Assessment of the expression and role of the α1-nAChR subunit in efferent cholinergic function during the development of the mammalian cochlea. J Neurophysiol 2016; 116:479-92. [PMID: 27098031 DOI: 10.1152/jn.01038.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hair cell (HC) activity in the mammalian cochlea is modulated by cholinergic efferent inputs from the brainstem. These inhibitory inputs are mediated by calcium-permeable nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) containing α9- and α10-subunits and by subsequent activation of calcium-dependent potassium channels. Intriguingly, mRNAs of α1- and γ-nAChRs, subunits of the "muscle-type" nAChR have also been found in developing HCs (Cai T, Jen HI, Kang H, Klisch TJ, Zoghbi HY, Groves AK. J Neurosci 35: 5870-5883, 2015; Scheffer D, Sage C, Plazas PV, Huang M, Wedemeyer C, Zhang DS, Chen ZY, Elgoyhen AB, Corey DP, Pingault V. J Neurochem 103: 2651-2664, 2007; Sinkkonen ST, Chai R, Jan TA, Hartman BH, Laske RD, Gahlen F, Sinkkonen W, Cheng AG, Oshima K, Heller S. Sci Rep 1: 26, 2011) prompting proposals that another type of nAChR is present and may be critical during early synaptic development. Mouse genetics, histochemistry, pharmacology, and whole cell recording approaches were combined to test the role of α1-nAChR subunit in HC efferent synapse formation and cholinergic function. The onset of α1-mRNA expression in mouse HCs was found to coincide with the onset of the ACh response and efferent synaptic function. However, in mouse inner hair cells (IHCs) no response to the muscle-type nAChR agonists (±)-anatoxin A, (±)-epibatidine, (-)-nicotine, or 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium iodide (DMPP) was detected, arguing against the presence of an independent functional α1-containing muscle-type nAChR in IHCs. In α1-deficient mice, no obvious change of IHC efferent innervation was detected at embryonic day 18, contrary to the hyperinnervation observed at the neuromuscular junction. Additionally, ACh response and efferent synaptic activity were detectable in α1-deficient IHCs, suggesting that α1 is not necessary for assembly and membrane targeting of nAChRs or for efferent synapse formation in IHCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Roux
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, The Center for Hearing and Balance and the Center for Sensory Biology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland;
| | - Jingjing Sherry Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, The Center for Hearing and Balance and the Center for Sensory Biology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - J Michael McIntosh
- George E. Wahlen Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah; and Department of Biology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Elisabeth Glowatzki
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, The Center for Hearing and Balance and the Center for Sensory Biology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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35
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Somatic memory and gain increase as preconditions for tinnitus: Insights from congenital deafness. Hear Res 2016; 333:37-48. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2015.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Revised: 11/27/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Rutherford MA, Moser T. The Ribbon Synapse Between Type I Spiral Ganglion Neurons and Inner Hair Cells. THE PRIMARY AUDITORY NEURONS OF THE MAMMALIAN COCHLEA 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3031-9_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Wang HC, Lin CC, Chong R, Zhang-Hooks Y, Agarwal A, Ellis-Davies G, Rock J, Bergles DE. Spontaneous Activity of Cochlear Hair Cells Triggered by Fluid Secretion Mechanism in Adjacent Support Cells. Cell 2015; 163:1348-59. [PMID: 26627734 PMCID: PMC4671825 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.10.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Revised: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Spontaneous electrical activity of neurons in developing sensory systems promotes their maturation and proper connectivity. In the auditory system, spontaneous activity of cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) is initiated by the release of ATP from glia-like inner supporting cells (ISCs), facilitating maturation of central pathways before hearing onset. Here, we find that ATP stimulates purinergic autoreceptors in ISCs, triggering Cl(-) efflux and osmotic cell shrinkage by opening TMEM16A Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channels. Release of Cl(-) from ISCs also forces K(+) efflux, causing transient depolarization of IHCs near ATP release sites. Genetic deletion of TMEM16A markedly reduces the spontaneous activity of IHCs and spiral ganglion neurons in the developing cochlea and prevents ATP-dependent shrinkage of supporting cells. These results indicate that supporting cells in the developing cochlea have adapted a pathway used for fluid secretion in other organs to induce periodic excitation of hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Chin Wang
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe Street, WBSB 1001, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Chun-Chieh Lin
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe Street, WBSB 1001, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rockie Chong
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe Street, WBSB 1001, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - YingXin Zhang-Hooks
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe Street, WBSB 1001, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Amit Agarwal
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe Street, WBSB 1001, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Graham Ellis-Davies
- Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave Levy Place Box 1065, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Jason Rock
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Ave, Box 0452, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Dwight E Bergles
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe Street, WBSB 1001, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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Cochlear afferent innervation development. Hear Res 2015; 330:157-69. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2015.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Revised: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Goutman JD, Elgoyhen AB, Gómez-Casati ME. Cochlear hair cells: The sound-sensing machines. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:3354-61. [PMID: 26335749 PMCID: PMC4641020 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 08/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The sensory epithelium of the mammalian inner ear contains two types of mechanosensory cells: inner (IHC) and outer hair cells (OHC). They both transduce mechanical force generated by sound waves into electrical signals. In their apical end, these cells possess a set of stereocilia representing the mechanosensing organelles. IHC are responsible for detecting sounds and transmitting the acoustic information to the brain by converting graded depolarization into trains of action potentials in auditory nerve fibers. OHC are responsible for the active mechanical amplification process that leads to the fine tuning and high sensitivity of the mammalian inner ear. This active amplification is the consequence of the ability of OHC to alter their cell length in response to changes in membrane potential, and is controlled by an efferent inhibitory innervation. Medial olivocochlear efferent fibers, originating in the brainstem, synapse directly at the base of OHC and release acetylcholine. A very special type of nicotinic receptor, assembled by α9α10 subunits, participates in this synapse. Here we review recent knowledge and the role of both afferent and efferent synapse in the inner ear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan D Goutman
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, "Dr. Héctor N Torres" (CONICET-UBA), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - A Belén Elgoyhen
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, "Dr. Héctor N Torres" (CONICET-UBA), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Tercera Cátedra de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Eugenia Gómez-Casati
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, "Dr. Héctor N Torres" (CONICET-UBA), Vuelta de Obligado 2490, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Tercera Cátedra de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Hearing loss among the elderly correlates with diminished social, mental, and physical health. Age-related cochlear cell death does occur, but growing anatomical evidence suggests that synaptic rearrangements on sensory hair cells also contribute to auditory functional decline. Here we present voltage-clamp recordings from inner hair cells of the C57BL/6J mouse model of age-related hearing loss, which reveal that cholinergic synaptic inputs re-emerge during aging. These efferents are functionally inhibitory, using the same ionic mechanisms as do efferent contacts present transiently before the developmental onset of hearing. The strength of efferent inhibition of inner hair cells increases with hearing threshold elevation. These data indicate that the aged cochlea regains features of the developing cochlea and that efferent inhibition of the primary receptors of the auditory system re-emerges with hearing impairment. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Synaptic changes in the auditory periphery are increasingly recognized as important factors in hearing loss. To date, anatomical work has described the loss of afferent contacts from cochlear hair cells. However, relatively little is known about the efferent innervation of the cochlea during hearing loss. We performed intracellular recordings from mouse inner hair cells across the lifespan and show that efferent innervation of inner hair cells arises in parallel with the loss of afferent contacts and elevated hearing threshold during aging. These efferent neurons inhibit inner hair cells, raising the possibility that they play a role in the progression of age-related hearing loss.
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Knipper M, Panford-Walsh R, Singer W, Rüttiger L, Zimmermann U. Specific synaptopathies diversify brain responses and hearing disorders: you lose the gain from early life. Cell Tissue Res 2015; 361:77-93. [PMID: 25843689 PMCID: PMC4487345 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-015-2168-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Before hearing onset, inner hair cell (IHC) maturation proceeds under the influence of spontaneous Ca(2+) action potentials (APs). The temporal signature of the IHC Ca(2+) AP is modified through an efferent cholinergic feedback from the medial olivocochlear bundle (MOC) and drives the IHC pre- and post-synapse phenotype towards low spontaneous (spike) rate (SR), high-threshold characteristics. With sensory experience, the IHC pre- and post-synapse phenotype matures towards the instruction of low-SR, high-threshold and of high-SR, low-threshold auditory fiber characteristics. Corticosteroid feedback together with local brain-derived nerve growth factor (BDNF) and catecholaminergic neurotransmitters (dopamine) might be essential for this developmental step. In this review, we address the question of whether the control of low-SR and high-SR fiber characteristics is linked to various degrees of vulnerability of auditory fibers in the mature system. In particular, we examine several IHC synaptopathies in the context of various hearing disorders and exemplified shortfalls before and after hearing onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies Knipper
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Center (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Wibke Singer
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Center (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Center (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ulrike Zimmermann
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Center (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Wichmann C, Moser T. Relating structure and function of inner hair cell ribbon synapses. Cell Tissue Res 2015; 361:95-114. [PMID: 25874597 PMCID: PMC4487357 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-014-2102-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In the mammalian cochlea, sound is encoded at synapses between inner hair cells (IHCs) and type I spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). Each SGN receives input from a single IHC ribbon-type active zone (AZ) and yet SGNs indefatigably spike up to hundreds of Hz to encode acoustic stimuli with submillisecond precision. Accumulating evidence indicates a highly specialized molecular composition and structure of the presynapse, adapted to suit these high functional demands. However, we are only beginning to understand key features such as stimulus-secretion coupling, exocytosis mechanisms, exo-endocytosis coupling, modes of endocytosis and vesicle reformation, as well as replenishment of the readily releasable pool. Relating structure and function has become an important avenue in addressing these points and has been applied to normal and genetically manipulated hair cell synapses. Here, we review some of the exciting new insights gained from recent studies of the molecular anatomy and physiology of IHC ribbon synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Wichmann
- Molecular Architecture of Synapses Group, Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Collaborative Research Center 889, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - T. Moser
- Collaborative Research Center 889, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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43
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Wang HC, Bergles DE. Spontaneous activity in the developing auditory system. Cell Tissue Res 2015; 361:65-75. [PMID: 25296716 PMCID: PMC7046314 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-014-2007-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Spontaneous electrical activity is a common feature of sensory systems during early development. This sensory-independent neuronal activity has been implicated in promoting their survival and maturation, as well as growth and refinement of their projections to yield circuits that can rapidly extract information about the external world. Periodic bursts of action potentials occur in auditory neurons of mammals before hearing onset. This activity is induced by inner hair cells (IHCs) within the developing cochlea, which establish functional connections with spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) several weeks before they are capable of detecting external sounds. During this pre-hearing period, IHCs fire periodic bursts of Ca(2+) action potentials that excite SGNs, triggering brief but intense periods of activity that pass through auditory centers of the brain. Although spontaneous activity requires input from IHCs, there is ongoing debate about whether IHCs are intrinsically active and their firing periodically interrupted by external inhibitory input (IHC-inhibition model), or are intrinsically silent and their firing periodically promoted by an external excitatory stimulus (IHC-excitation model). There is accumulating evidence that inner supporting cells in Kölliker's organ spontaneously release ATP during this time, which can induce bursts of Ca(2+) spikes in IHCs that recapitulate many features of auditory neuron activity observed in vivo. Nevertheless, the role of supporting cells in this process remains to be established in vivo. A greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for generating IHC activity in the developing cochlea will help reveal how these events contribute to the maturation of nascent auditory circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Chin Wang
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Putative role of border cells in generating spontaneous morphological activity within Kölliker's organ. Hear Res 2015; 330:90-7. [PMID: 26119178 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2015.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Revised: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Kölliker's organ is a transient epithelial structure, comprising a major part of the organ of Corti during pre-hearing stages of development. The auditory system is spontaneously active during development, which serves to retain and refine neural connections. Kölliker's organ is considered a key candidate for generating such spontaneous activity, most likely through purinergic (P2 receptor) signalling and inner hair cell (IHC) activation. Associated with the spontaneous neural activity, ATP released locally by epithelial cells induces rhythmic morphological changes within Kölliker's organ, the purpose of which is not understood. These changes are accompanied by a shift in cellular refractive index, allowing optical detection of this activity in real-time. Using this principle, we investigated the origin of spontaneous morphological activity within Kölliker's organ. Apical turns of Wistar rat cochleae (P9-11) were dissected, and the purinergic involvement was studied following acute tissue exposure to a P2 receptor agonist (ATPγS) and antagonist (suramin). ATPγS induced a sustained darkening throughout Kölliker's organ, reversed by suramin. This effect was most pronounced in the region closest to the inner hair cells, which also displayed the highest frequency of intrinsic morphological events. Additionally, suramin alone induced swelling of this region, suggesting a tight regulation of cell volume by ATP-mediated mechanisms. Histological analysis of cochlear tissues demonstrates the most profound volume changes in the border cell region immediately adjacent to the IHCs. Together, these results underline the role of purinergic signalling in initiating morphological events within Kölliker's organ, and suggest a key involvement of border cells surrounding IHCs in regulating this spontaneous activity.
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45
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Nouvian R, Eybalin M, Puel JL. Cochlear efferents in developing adult and pathological conditions. Cell Tissue Res 2015; 361:301-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-015-2158-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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46
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Katz E, Elgoyhen AB. Short-term plasticity and modulation of synaptic transmission at mammalian inhibitory cholinergic olivocochlear synapses. Front Syst Neurosci 2014; 8:224. [PMID: 25520631 PMCID: PMC4251319 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2014.00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 11/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The organ of Corti, the mammalian sensory epithelium of the inner ear, has two types of mechanoreceptor cells, inner hair cells (IHCs) and outer hair cells (OHCs). In this sensory epithelium, vibrations produced by sound waves are transformed into electrical signals. When depolarized by incoming sounds, IHCs release glutamate and activate auditory nerve fibers innervating them and OHCs, by virtue of their electromotile property, increase the amplification and fine tuning of sound signals. The medial olivocochlear (MOC) system, an efferent feedback system, inhibits OHC activity and thereby reduces the sensitivity and sharp tuning of cochlear afferent fibers. During neonatal development, IHCs fire Ca2+ action potentials which evoke glutamate release promoting activity in the immature auditory system in the absence of sensory stimuli. During this period, MOC fibers also innervate IHCs and are thought to modulate their firing rate. Both the MOC-OHC and the MOC-IHC synapses are cholinergic, fast and inhibitory and mediated by the α9α10 nicotinic cholinergic receptor (nAChR) coupled to the activation of calcium-activated potassium channels that hyperpolarize the hair cells. In this review we discuss the biophysical, functional and molecular data which demonstrate that at the synapses between MOC efferent fibers and cochlear hair cells, modulation of transmitter release as well as short term synaptic plasticity mechanisms, operating both at the presynaptic terminal and at the postsynaptic hair-cell, determine the efficacy of these synapses and shape the hair cell response pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Katz
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) Buenos Aires, Argentina ; Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular "Prof. Héctor Maldonado", Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Belén Elgoyhen
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres" (INGEBI), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) Buenos Aires, Argentina ; Tercera Cátedra de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Pechriggl EJ, Bitsche M, Glueckert R, Rask‐Andersen H, Blumer MJF, Schrott‐Fischer A, Fritsch H. Development of the innervation of the human inner ear. Dev Neurobiol 2014; 75:683-702. [DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Revised: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth J. Pechriggl
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology, Division of Clinical and Functional AnatomyMedical University of InnsbruckMüllerstrasse 596020Innsbruck Austria
| | - Mario Bitsche
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology, Division of Clinical and Functional AnatomyMedical University of InnsbruckMüllerstrasse 596020Innsbruck Austria
| | - Rudolf Glueckert
- Department of OtolaryngologyMedical University of InnsbruckAnichstrasse 356020Innsbruck Austria
- University Clinics InnsbruckTiroler LandeskrankenanstaltenInnsbruck Austria
| | - Helge Rask‐Andersen
- Departments of OtolaryngologyUppsala University Hospital751 85Uppsala Sweden
| | - Michael J. F. Blumer
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology, Division of Clinical and Functional AnatomyMedical University of InnsbruckMüllerstrasse 596020Innsbruck Austria
| | | | - Helga Fritsch
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology, Division of Clinical and Functional AnatomyMedical University of InnsbruckMüllerstrasse 596020Innsbruck Austria
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Kölliker's organ and the development of spontaneous activity in the auditory system: implications for hearing dysfunction. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:367939. [PMID: 25210710 PMCID: PMC4156998 DOI: 10.1155/2014/367939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Prior to the “onset of hearing,” developing cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) and primary auditory neurons undergo experience-independent activity, which is thought to be important in retaining and refining neural connections in the absence of sound. One of the major hypotheses regarding the origin of such activity involves a group of columnar epithelial supporting cells forming Kölliker's organ, which is only present during this critical period of auditory development. There is strong evidence for a purinergic signalling mechanism underlying such activity. ATP released through connexin hemichannels may activate P2 purinergic receptors in both Kölliker's organ and the adjacent IHCs, leading to generation of electrical activity throughout the auditory system. However, recent work has suggested an alternative origin, by demonstrating the ability of IHCs to generate this spontaneous activity without activation by ATP. Regardless, developmental abnormalities of Kölliker's organ may lead to congenital hearing loss, considering that mutations in ion channels (hemichannels, gap junctions, and calcium channels) involved in Kölliker's organ activity share strong links with such types of deafness.
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49
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Fuchs PA. A 'calcium capacitor' shapes cholinergic inhibition of cochlear hair cells. J Physiol 2014; 592:3393-401. [PMID: 24566542 PMCID: PMC4229337 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.267914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Efferent cholinergic neurons project from the brainstem to inhibit sensory hair cells of the vertebrate inner ear. This inhibitory synapse combines the activity of an unusual class of ionotropic cholinergic receptor with that of nearby calcium-dependent potassium channels to shunt and hyperpolarize the hair cell. Postsynaptic calcium signalling is constrained by a thin near-membrane cistern that is co-extensive with the efferent terminal contacts. The postsynaptic cistern may play an essential role in calcium homeostasis, serving as sink or source, depending on ongoing activity and the degree of buffer saturation. Release of calcium from postsynaptic stores leads to a process of retrograde facilitation via the synthesis of nitric oxide in the hair cell. Activity-dependent synaptic modification may contribute to changes in hair cell innervation that occur during development, and in the aged or damaged cochlea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Albert Fuchs
- Center for Hearing and Balance, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and Center for Sensory Biology, Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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