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Barone CM, Douma S, Reijntjes DOJ, Browe BM, Köppl C, Klump G, Park TJ, Pyott SJ. Altered cochlear innervation in developing and mature naked and Damaraland mole rats. J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:2302-2316. [PMID: 30861124 PMCID: PMC6767702 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Compared to many other rodent species, naked mole rats (Heterocephalus glaber) have elevated auditory thresholds, poor frequency selectivity, and limited ability to localize sound. Because the cochlea is responsible for encoding and relaying auditory signals to the brain, we used immunofluorescence and quantitative image analysis to examine cochlear innervation in mature and developing naked mole rats compared to mice (Mus musculus), gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), and Damaraland mole rats (Fukomys damarensis), another subterranean rodent. In comparison to mice and gerbils, we observed alterations in afferent and efferent innervation as well as their patterns of developmental refinement in naked and Damaraland mole rats. These alterations were, however, not always shared similarly between naked and Damaraland mole rats. Most conspicuously, in both naked and Damaraland mole rats, inner hair cell (IHC) afferent ribbon density was reduced, whereas outer hair cell afferent ribbon density was increased. Naked and Damaraland mole rats also showed reduced lateral and medial efferent terminal density. Developmentally, naked mole rats showed reduced and prolonged postnatal reorganization of afferent and efferent innervation. Damaraland mole rats showed no evidence of postnatal reorganization. Differences in cochlear innervation specifically between the two subterranean rodents and more broadly among rodents provides insight into the cochlear mechanisms that enhance frequency sensitivity and sound localization, maturation of the auditory system, and the evolutionary adaptations occurring in response to subterranean environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M Barone
- Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Sytse Douma
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Daniël O J Reijntjes
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Brigitte M Browe
- Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Christine Köppl
- Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4All", Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Georg Klump
- Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4All", Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thomas J Park
- Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Sonja J Pyott
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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