Protein in the ear helps explain some deafness
15 October 2004
by Richard
Conan-Davies
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A tiny protein in the inner part of the ear has been identified as probably being very important for changing sound into electrical signals the brain can understand as sound. The research led by David Corey of Harvard Medical School explained that " "People have been looking for this protein for a decade," So where is this protein? It is located at the tips of specialized cilia on hair cells of the inner ear and is called TRPA1 So what do these protein actually do? As sound moves along these hairs proteins form pores that open and close with the sound waves. The opening and closing pores let ions (charged particles) flow into cells and turn tiny movements into electrical signals. Dr. Corey explained that " Hair cells convert a mechanical stimulus into an electrical signal with molecular, strings, springs and levers," This research may help people with certain kinds of inherited deafness. Some people have DNA that is not quite forming this TRPA1 protein can have a particular kind of deafness. |
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