Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Cochlear function in mice lacking the BK channel alpha, beta1, or beta4 subunits.

Sonja J Pyott1, Andrea L Meredith, Anthony A Fodor

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. spyott@jhmi.edu

The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|December 1, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Large conductance voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels play different roles in mammalian hearing compared to other animals. BK channels may be a target for preventing noise-induced hearing loss.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Differential vulnerability of cochlear nuclei to Lmx1 deficiency: abnormal patterning and implications for auditory circuitry.

Neuroscience letters·2026
Same author

Identifying and quantifying ESKAPEE pathogens in and around sinks in high burden hospitals.

The Journal of hospital infection·2026
Same author

From external-input sensitivity to resident persistence: community assembly in a sink p-trap model.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Correction: <i>Lmx1a</i> is essential for marginal cell differentiation and stria vascularis formation.

Frontiers in cell and developmental biology·2026
Same author

The Role of CaV3.2 T-type calcium channels in normal hearing and acquired hearing loss.

Cell calcium·2026
Same author

An Lmx1a/b allelic series reveals the role of Lmx1 genes in cochlear nuclei development.

Cell and tissue research·2026

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Otolaryngology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Large conductance voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels regulate cellular functions, including neuronal activity and muscle contractility.
  • In non-mammalian vertebrates, BK channels tune cochlear hair cells intrinsically, unlike in mammals where tuning is extrinsic.
  • BK channels are present in mammalian inner hair cells, contributing a fast outward current.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the roles of BK channel alpha (Slo) and beta (beta1, beta4) subunits in mammalian inner hair cells.
  • To understand the functional consequences of lacking these subunits on cochlear function and hearing.
  • To explore the potential of BK channels as a therapeutic target for hearing loss.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of morphology, physiology, and function in mice lacking BK channel alpha (Slo-/-) and beta1/beta4 (beta1/4-/-) subunits.
  • Assessment of cochlear function using auditory brainstem responses and distortion product otoacoustic emissions.
  • Microarray analysis to identify compensatory changes in ion channel and transporter gene expression.

    • Main Results:

    • Beta1/4-/- mice exhibited normal BK channel expression and cochlear function.
    • Slo-/- mice showed normal cochlear function despite the absence of BK channel alpha and the fast outward current.
    • Slo-/- mice demonstrated increased resistance to noise-induced hearing loss, with no compensatory gene expression changes.

    Conclusions:

    • BK channels have distinct roles in mammalian hearing compared to non-mammalian hearing.
    • The absence of BK channel alpha does not impair normal mammalian cochlear function.
    • BK channels represent a potential therapeutic target for preventing noise-induced hearing loss.