Signal transduction mechanism in cochlea outer hair cell

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25861527
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: KITANI Rei 千葉大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (80436047)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 外有毛細胞 / コレステロール / 脂質二重膜 / 細胞内シグナル伝達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Outer hair cells (OHCs) were isolated from young albino guinea pig cochlea, observed　with IX-73 microscope (OLYMPUS, Japan). Cell images were analyzed off-line using and further processed using Sigmaplot software (Systat Software, CA). Cholesterol depletion using methyl -beta-cyclodextrin shortened and widened OHC length, while cholesterol loading never changed in OHC length. Y-27632 as ROCK inhibitor changed neither in OHC length nor in shortening rate of OHC length induced by osmotic change and cholesterol depletion. This suggest that cholesterol and cell membrane lipid could affect the regulation of cytoskeleton, however, the pathway of signal transduction via lipid raft in OHC might be complex.

Free Research Field

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