Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6314
pubmed:dateCreated
1991-4-24
pubmed:abstractText
It is the prevailing notion that cochlear outer hair cells function as mechanical effectors as well as sensory receptors. Electrically induced changes in the shape of mammalian outer hair cells, studied in vitro, are commonly assumed to represent an aspect of their effector process that may occur in vivo. The nature of the motile process is obscure, even though none of the established cellular motors can be involved. Although it is known that the motile response is under voltage control, it is uncertain whether the stimulus is a drop in the voltage along the long axis of the cell or variation in the transmembrane potential. We have now performed experiments with cells partitioned in differing degrees between two chambers. Applied voltage stimulates the cell membrane segments in opposite polarity to an amount dependent on the partitioning. The findings show, in accordance with previous suggestions, that the driving stimulus is a local transmembrane voltage drop and that the cellular motor consists of many independent elements, distributed along the cell membrane and its associated cortical structures. We further show that the primary action of the motor elements is along the longitudinal dimension of the cell without necessarily involving changes in intracellular hydrostatic pressure. This establishes the outer hair cell motor as unique among mechanisms that control cell shape.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
0028-0836
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
14
pubmed:volume
350
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
155-7
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1991
pubmed:articleTitle
Nature of the motor element in electrokinetic shape changes of cochlear outer hair cells.
pubmed:affiliation
Auditory Physiology Laboratory, Hugh Knowles Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't