Unconventional Myosin Distribution Inner Ear Hair Cells

描述(由申请人提供)：分子差异是内耳毛细胞形态和生理多样性的基础。这项研究将使用蛋白质分布来研究脊椎动物分类群体中毛细胞的多样性。非常规肌球蛋白在毛细胞中的分布将使用免疫细胞化学进行检测。共聚焦显微镜将使用从私人或商业来源获得的抗体来观察荧光标记的感觉上皮细胞。抗体特异性将通过Western blotting进行验证。非常规肌球蛋白的基因表达将通过RT-PCR进行验证。这些结果将有助于毛细胞功能的比较研究，因为基因表达或蛋白质分布的差异可能与功能差异有关。这些结果也将有助于研究非传统肌球蛋白在耳聋中的作用，因为它将开辟更广泛的物种进行研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Molecular differences underlie the morphological and physiological diversity seen in inner ear hair cells. This research will use protein distribution to investigate hair cell diversity across vertebrate taxonomic groups. Distribution of unconventional myosins in hair cells will be examined using immunocytochemistry. Confocal microscopy will be used to view fluorescently labeled sensory epithelia using antibodies obtained from either private or commercial sources. Antibody specificity will be verified with western blotting. Gene expression of unconventional myosins will be validated with RT-PCR. These results will be useful for comparative studies of hair cell function, as differences in gene expression or protein distribution may be correlated to functional differences. These results will also be useful to researchers studying the role of unconventional myosins in deafness, as it will open up a wider variety of species for study.