| First Author | Ceriani F | Year | 2019 |
| Journal | EMBO J | Volume | 38 |
| Issue | 9 | PubMed ID | 30804003 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:277076 | Mgi Id | MGI:6323143 |
| Doi | 10.15252/embj.201899839 | Citation | Ceriani F, et al. (2019) Coordinated calcium signalling in cochlear sensory and non-sensory cells refines afferent innervation of outer hair cells. EMBO J 38(9) |
| abstractText | Outer hair cells (OHCs) are highly specialized sensory cells conferring the fine-tuning and high sensitivity of the mammalian cochlea to acoustic stimuli. Here, by genetically manipulating spontaneous Ca(2+) signalling in mice in vivo, through a period of early postnatal development, we find that the refinement of OHC afferent innervation is regulated by complementary spontaneous Ca(2+) signals originating in OHCs and non-sensory cells. OHCs fire spontaneous Ca(2+) action potentials during a narrow period of neonatal development. Simultaneously, waves of Ca(2+) activity in the non-sensory cells of the greater epithelial ridge cause, via ATP-induced activation of P2X3 receptors, the increase and synchronization of the Ca(2+) activity in nearby OHCs. This synchronization is required for the refinement of their immature afferent innervation. In the absence of connexin channels, Ca(2+) waves are impaired, leading to a reduction in the number of ribbon synapses and afferent fibres on OHCs. We propose that the correct maturation of the afferent connectivity of OHCs requires experience-independent Ca(2+) signals from sensory and non-sensory cells. |
