Advances in our understanding of the physiological processes underlying sound transduction and auditory neurotransmission require novel technical developments that provide access to the complex tissue structures within the cochlea. This research project proposes two novel genetic approaches to address this complexity. In one approach specific cell types are gene profiled in the auditory system based on translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) methodology in transgenic mice, while, in the second approach, genetic tethered toxins are employed for the functional inactivation of specific ion channels.
These two methods will be applied in combination to the identification and functional inactivation of specific ion channels in spiral ganglia auditory neurons and hair cells during the development of the auditory nervous system.
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