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Glass Probe Stimulation of Hair Cell Stereocilia

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Auditory and Vestibular Research

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1427))

Abstract

Hair cells are designed to sense mechanical stimuli of sound using their apical stereocilia hair bundles. Mechanical deflection of this hair bundle is converted into an electrical signal through gating of mechano-electric transduction channels. Stiff probe stimulation of hair bundles is an invaluable tool for studying the transduction channel and its associated processes because of the speed and ability to precisely control hair bundle position. Proper construction of these devices is critical to their ultimate performance as is appropriate placement of the probe onto the hair bundle. Here we describe the construction and use of a glass probe coupled to a piezo-electric actuator for stimulating hair bundles, including the basic technique for positioning of the stimulating probe onto the hair bundle. These piezo-electric stimulators can be adapted to other mechanically sensitive systems.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Thomas Effertz for critically reading the manuscript. Work was supported by K99 DC013299 to AWP, and by R01 DC003896 from NIDCD to AJR.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Edwards Bldg., Stanford, CA, 94025, USA

    Anthony W. Peng & Anthony J. Ricci

  2. Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94025, USA

    Anthony J. Ricci

  3. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E 19th Ave Rm7127, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA

    Anthony W. Peng

Authors
  1. Anthony W. Peng
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  2. Anthony J. Ricci
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anthony J. Ricci .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Bernd Sokolowski

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© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Peng, A.W., Ricci, A.J. (2016). Glass Probe Stimulation of Hair Cell Stereocilia. In: Sokolowski, B. (eds) Auditory and Vestibular Research. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1427. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3615-1_27

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3615-1_27

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-3613-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-3615-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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