Electrical tuning in hair cells isolated from the chick cochlea

Tall (inner) hair cells were isolated from specific locations in the chick cochlea. The electrical membrane properties of these cells were recorded using the tight-seal whole-cell technique. Depolarizing current steps elicited damped voltage oscillations that ranged in frequency from 100 to 250 Hz among cells from the middle third of the cochlea (basal cells). The current-voltage relation obtained under voltage clamp was dominated by calcium-activated potassium current in the voltage range over which these oscillations occurred. Tall hair cells isolated from the apical tip of the cochlea (apical cells) exhibited action potentials and lower frequency voltage oscillations (5-14 Hz) during depolarizing current steps. Outward currents in these cells were 20-fold slower than those found in the basal cells. These results suggest that electrical tuning of hair cells may play a role in determining the frequency selectivity of the chick cochlea.