Developmental Regulation of Spontaneous Activity in the Mammalian Cochlea

• Published in: The Journal of neuroscience Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 1539 - 1550
• Main Authors: Tritsch, Nicolas X, Bergles, Dwight E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Soc Neuroscience 27.01.2010; Society for Neuroscience
• Subjects: Action Potentials - physiology; Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cochlea - cytology; Cochlea - growth & development; Cochlea - metabolism; Hair Cells, Auditory - cytology; Hair Cells, Auditory - metabolism; Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner - cytology; Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner - metabolism; Hearing - physiology; Labyrinth Supporting Cells - cytology; Labyrinth Supporting Cells - metabolism; Organogenesis - physiology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sensory Receptor Cells - cytology; Sensory Receptor Cells - metabolism; Spiral Ganglion - cytology; Spiral Ganglion - growth & development; Spiral Ganglion - metabolism

Neurons in the developing auditory system fire bursts of action potentials before the onset of hearing. This spontaneous activity promotes the survival and maturation of auditory neurons and the refinement of synaptic connections in auditory nuclei; however, the mechanisms responsible for initiating...