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Structural cell biology

Rapid renewal of auditory hair bundles

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The recovery time after noise-induced hearing loss is in step with a molecular treadmill.

Abstract

Stereocilia, also known as hair bundles, are mechanosensitive organelles of the sensory hair cells of the inner ear that can detect displacements on a nanometre scale and are supported by a rigid, dense core of actin filaments. Here we show that these actin-filament arrays are continuously remodelled by the addition of actin monomers to the stereocilium tips, and that the entire core of the stereocilium is renewed every 48 hours. This unexpected dynamic feature of stereocilia will help our understanding of how auditory sensory function develops and is maintained.

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Figure 1: Continuous renewal of actin in auditory stereocilia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section on Structural Cell Biology, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, 20892-4027, Maryland, USA

    Mark E. Schneider, Inna A. Belyantseva, Ricardo B. Azevedo & Bechara Kachar

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  1. Mark E. Schneider
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  2. Inna A. Belyantseva
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  3. Ricardo B. Azevedo
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  4. Bechara Kachar
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Correspondence to Bechara Kachar.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Schneider, M., Belyantseva, I., Azevedo, R. et al. Rapid renewal of auditory hair bundles. Nature 418, 837–838 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/418837a

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