Stimulation of hair cells with ultraviolet light

Hair bundles are specialized organelles that transduce mechanical inputs into electrical outputs. To activate hair cells, physiologists have resorted to mechanical methods of hair-bundle stimulation. Here we describe a new method of hair-bundle stimulation, irradiation with ultraviolet light. A hair...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Azimzadeh, Julien B., Fabella, Brian A., Hudspeth, A. J.
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
Bundles
Bundling
Hair
Light
Organelles
Stimulation
Ultraviolet radiation
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Summary:Hair bundles are specialized organelles that transduce mechanical inputs into electrical outputs. To activate hair cells, physiologists have resorted to mechanical methods of hair-bundle stimulation. Here we describe a new method of hair-bundle stimulation, irradiation with ultraviolet light. A hair bundle illuminated by ultraviolet light rapidly moves towards its tall edge, a motion typically associated with excitatory stimulation. The motion disappears upon tip-link rupture and is associated with the opening of mechanotransduction channels. Hair bundles can be induced to move sinusoidally with oscillatory modulation of the stimulation power. We discuss the implications of ultraviolet stimulation as a novel hair-bundle stimulus.
ISSN:0094-243X
1551-7616
DOI:10.1063/1.5038478