RUI: Investigating the Effect of Hair Bundle Hydrodynamics in the Inner Ear

这项研究的一个重要目标是了解内耳毛束结构的形态与其功能之间的关系；特别是其大小和形状如何影响其对不同频率的刺激的反应。另一个目标是了解覆盖膜在毛细胞敏感性中所起的作用。听力器官的发束上通常覆盖着一层被称为覆盖膜的膜。比较覆盖膜和不覆盖膜的模型的流体动力学，应该阐明覆盖膜在毛细胞敏感性中的作用。首席研究人员先前研究了单个发束的流体动力学，将其作为二维皮瓣和三维半球。3-D分析表明，2-D模型不能很好地表示低频下的发束动力学。这一新的研究项目旨在向两个方向扩展半球模型：包括中频，以及在低频区和高频区分析具有覆盖膜的模型。学生可以通过几种方式参与这项研究：通过比较不同求解方法的结果为基本解的分布；通过动画设置发束和周围流体的运动；通过学习奇异点方法；研究神经调谐曲线的特征。这项研究将加强学生在流体流动、数值分析、耳朵生理学和计算机编程领域的理解。这项研究的结果有望为听觉科学的知识库和流体的数值模拟做出贡献。在微观力学领域，这些新知识可能会对开发声音和运动的微机械换能器有用。

Shatz0099753An important goal of this research is to understand the relationship between the morphology of inner ear hair bundle structures and their functionality; in particular, how the size and shape affects their response to stimuli of different frequencies. Another goal is to understand the role that an overlying membrane has in hair cell sensitivity. Hair bundles of hearing organs are usually topped by an overlying membrane called the tectorial membrane. Comparing the hydrodynamics of a model which represents an overlying membrane to one that does not should elucidate the role of an overlying membrane in hair cell sensitivity. The principal investigator previously investigated the hydrodynamics of a single hair bundle as a two-dimensional flap and as a three-dimensional hemispheroid. The 3-D analysis indicated that the 2-D model does not adequately represent hair bundle dynamics at low frequencies. This new research project is designed to extend the hemispheroid model in two directions: to include mid-frequencies, and to analyze a model with an overlying membrane in the low and high frequency regions. Students are to participate in this research in several ways: by comparing the results of different methods of solving for the distribution of the fundamental solutions; by animating the motion of the hair bundles and surrounding fluid; by studying the singularity method; studying the features of neural tuning curves. The research will enhance the students' understanding in the areas of fluid flows, numerical analysis, ear physiology, and computer programming. Results from the research are expected to contribute to the knowledge base of auditory science and also to numerical modeling of fluids. In the field of micro-mechanics the new knowledge may prove useful in developing micro-mechanical transducers of sound and motion.