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Related Concept Videos

Hair Cells01:22

Hair Cells

45.6K
Hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system—they transduce mechanical sound waves into electrical energy that the nervous system can understand. Hair cells are located in the organ of Corti within the cochlea of the inner ear, between the basilar and tectorial membranes. The actual sensory receptors are called inner hair cells. The outer hair cells serve other functions, such as sound amplification in the cochlea, and are not discussed in detail here.
45.6K
The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

51.6K
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
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Gap Junctions01:37

Gap Junctions

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Multicellular organisms employ a variety of ways for cells to communicate with each other. Gap junctions are specialized proteins that form pores between neighboring cells in animals, connecting the cytoplasm between the two, and allowing for the exchange of molecules and ions. They are found in a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate species, mediate numerous functions including cell differentiation and development, and are associated with numerous human diseases, including cardiac and...
57.5K
Gap Junctions01:27

Gap Junctions

9.9K
The cytoplasm of adjacent animal cells can exchange small molecules, ions, and secondary messengers via the communication channels which form the gap junctions. These junctions comprise a few hundred to thousands of molecular channels, each made of two halves, called the connexon hemichannel. A connexon is a hexamer of six transmembrane connexin proteins, which assemble radially, thus forming a pore or channel in the center. One connexon hemichannel docks with a corresponding connexon on the...
9.9K
Auditory Pathway01:15

Auditory Pathway

7.6K
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking...
7.6K
Anatomy of the Ear01:16

Anatomy of the Ear

12.1K
Auditory sensation, commonly called hearing, involves the transformation of sonic waves into neural impulses facilitated by the structures of the auditory organ. The prominent, flesh-like structure on the side of the head, called the auricle, directs sound waves towards the auditory canal. The auricle is often mislabeled as the pinna, a term more aligned with mobile structures like a feline's external ear. The auditory canal penetrates the cranium via the external auditory meatus of the...
12.1K

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Electrical and chemical synapses share similar organizational principle.

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Model-based evaluation of connexin hemichannel permeability.

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Dampened α7 nAChR activity contributes to audiogenic seizures and hyperactivity in a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome.

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A pore locus in the E1 domain differentially regulates Cx26 and Cx30 hemichannel function.

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An Ala/Glu difference in E1 of Cx26 and Cx30 contributes to their differential anionic permeabilities.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea
09:54

Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea

Published on: May 10, 2019

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Connexin hemichannels and cochlear function.

Vytas K Verselis1

  • 1Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, United States.

Neuroscience Letters
|September 18, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Connexins are crucial for hearing. Mutations in Cx26 and Cx30 connexins cause deafness, highlighting their vital role in cochlear function and potential involvement in hearing loss pathogenesis.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Otolaryngology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Connexins are essential for cochlear development and auditory function.
  • Mutations in cochlear connexins, specifically Cx26 and Cx30, lead to sensorineural deafness.
  • Cx26 mutations are a leading cause of non-syndromic hereditary deafness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the dual roles of connexins as gap junction channels and hemichannels in the cochlea.
  • To discuss the distinct functions of connexin channel configurations in normal cochlear physiology.
  • To investigate the contribution of connexin hemichannels to hearing loss pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on connexin function in the cochlea.
  • Analysis of the roles of gap junction and hemichannel activity.
Keywords:
AtpConnexinsDeafnessHemichannelsPannexins

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Dextran Labeling and Uptake in Live and Functional Murine Cochlear Hair Cells
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Dextran Labeling and Uptake in Live and Functional Murine Cochlear Hair Cells

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Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse
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Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea
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Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea

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Dextran Labeling and Uptake in Live and Functional Murine Cochlear Hair Cells
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Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse
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Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse

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  • Discussion of connexin mutations and their link to deafness.

    • Main Results:

    • Connexins mediate both intercellular (gap junctions) and transmembrane (hemichannels) signaling.
    • Both channel types have critical, yet distinct, roles in cochlear function.
    • Connexin hemichannels are implicated in the pathological processes leading to hearing loss.

    Conclusions:

    • Connexin hemichannels play significant roles in both normal cochlear function and hearing loss.
    • Understanding connexin hemichannel activity is crucial for addressing deafness.
    • Further research into connexin hemichannels may reveal therapeutic targets for hearing restoration.