Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026
08:51
Author Spotlight: Dissection of Adult Mouse Stria Vascularis for Single-Nucleus Sequencing or Immunostaining
Published on: April 21, 2023
4.9K
Pannexin 1 deficiency can induce hearing loss
Hong-Bo Zhao1, Yan Zhu1, Chun Liang1
1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|May 24, 2015
Summary
Pannexin-1 (Panx1) gene deletion in the cochlea causes progressive hearing loss. Panx1 deficiency activates cell death pathways, leading to cochlear cell degeneration and impaired hearing.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Gap junctions are crucial for hearing, with connexin mutations causing hearing loss.
- Pannexin (Panx) genes also encode gap junction proteins, with Panx1 being a major isoform in the cochlea.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Panx1 in cochlear function and hearing.
- To determine the consequences of Panx1 deletion in the cochlea.
Main Methods:
- Auditory brainstem response (ABR) recordings to assess hearing.
- Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) measurements to evaluate cochlear activity.
- Histological analysis to examine cell degeneration and apoptosis.
Main Results:
- Panx1 deletion in the cochlea resulted in moderate to severe progressive hearing loss, particularly at high frequencies.
- Reduced DPOAE levels indicated impaired cochlear mechanics.
- Panx1 deficiency led to Caspase-3 activation and degeneration of cochlear hair cells and other cell types.
Conclusions:
- Panx1 plays a significant role in maintaining cochlear function and hearing.
- Panx1 deficiency, similar to connexin mutations, can induce hearing loss.
- Pannexins have essential, non-redundant functions in the cochlea and auditory system.
Related Concept Videos
01:33Pleiotropy
44.2K
Pleiotropy is the phenomenon in which a single gene impacts multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits. For example, defects in the SOX10 gene cause Waardenburg Syndrome Type 4, or WS4, which can cause defects in pigmentation, hearing impairments, and an absence of intestinal contractions necessary for elimination. This diversity of phenotypes results from the expression pattern of SOX10 in early embryonic and fetal development. SOX10 is found in neural crest cells that form melanocytes,...
44.2K
03:14Notch Signaling Pathway
6.9K
The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not...
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not...
6.9K
01:31Hearing
59.0K
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
59.0K
00:50Unrenewable Cells
3.0K
In humans, the photoreceptor cells of the eye and sensory hair cells of the ear lack stem cells. These cells are thus unrenewable and cannot be replaced when they are damaged or destroyed.
Photoreceptors
The retina is composed of several layers and contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (rods and cones) change their membrane potential when stimulated by light energy. There are two types of photoreceptors—rods and cones—which differ in the shape of...
Photoreceptors
The retina is composed of several layers and contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (rods and cones) change their membrane potential when stimulated by light energy. There are two types of photoreceptors—rods and cones—which differ in the shape of...
3.0K