CURVATURE ELASTICITY IN OUTER HAIR CELL ELECTROMOTILITY

本提案研究的目的是了解 外毛细胞电活动的分子机制。 这种独特 细胞运动的一种形式是负责显着的敏感性 和哺乳动物听觉的精确频率选择性。 损失 电运动被认为是感觉神经听觉的原因 损失 在我们理解电运动的分子机制之前， 我们将无力进行任何临床治疗 患有听力障碍。 本提案中的研究计划 为了验证新的假设，即膜曲率的变化 负责机电耦合过程。 这将是 通过测试各种药剂的作用而在实验上完成的 已知其影响膜在外部毛发上弯曲的能力 细胞的电压依赖性电容和运动性。 理论模型 将开发一个电动性，其中包括分析 曲率弹性能的表达式。 该模型将用于 来预测非线性电容随膜张力的变化。 该模型还将用于预测预期的电容变化 从薄膜弯曲，这将计算从泊松- 玻耳兹曼方程与膜静电理论。

The objective of the research in this proposal is to understand the molecular mechanism of outer hair cell electromotility. This unique form of cellular motility is responsible for the remarkable sensitivity and exquisite frequency selectivity of mammalian hearing. Loss of electromotility is believed to be responsible for sensioneural hearing loss. Until we understand the molecular mechanism of electromotility, we will be powerless to undertake any clinical efforts to treat people suffering from hearing impairment. The research in this proposal plans to test the novel hypothesis that changes in membrane curvature are responsible for the electromechanical coupling process. This will be accomplished experimentally by testing the effects of various agents known to affect the ability of a membrane to bend on the outer hair cell's voltage dependent capacitance and motility. A theoretical model of electromotility will be developed which includes an analytic expression for the curvature elastic energy. This model will be used to predict the shift in the nonlinear capacitance with membrane tension. The model will also be used to predict the capacitance change expected from membrane bending which will be calculated from the Poisson- Boltzmann equation and membrane electrostatic theory.