Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology and the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7239, USA.
Neuroscience. 2011 Oct 27;194:326-36. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.08.005. Epub 2011 Aug 5.
The expression and function of nicotinic receptor subunits (nAChRs) in the inner ear before the onset of hearing is not well understood. We investigated the mRNA expression of the α9 and α10 nAChR subunits in sensory hair cells of the embryonic and postnatal rat inner ear. We mapped their spatial and temporal expression in cochlear and vestibular hair cells using qPCR, [35S] labeled cRNA in situ hybridization, and α-bungarotoxin (α-Bgt) to label the presumptive membrane-bound receptor on cochlear hair cells. The results suggest that (1) the mRNA expression of the α9 subunit precedes expression of the α10 subunit in both cochlear and vestibular hair cells, (2) the mRNA expression of both the α9 and α10 subunits occurs earlier in the vestibular system than in the cochlea, (3) the mRNA expression of both subunits is required for the assembled receptor complexes, and (4) the presumptive assembled receptor, at least in the cochlea, is associated with synapse formation and the onset of function.
内耳在听力出现之前,其烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体(nAChRs)的表达和功能尚未被充分了解。我们研究了感觉毛细胞中α9 和 α10 nAChR 亚基在胚胎和新生大鼠内耳中的 mRNA 表达。我们使用 qPCR、[35S]标记的 cRNA 原位杂交和α-银环蛇毒素(α-Bgt)来标记耳蜗毛细胞上假定的膜结合受体,以研究其在耳蜗和前庭毛细胞中的时空表达。结果表明:(1)α9 亚基的 mRNA 表达先于α10 亚基在耳蜗和前庭毛细胞中表达;(2)α9 和 α10 亚基的 mRNA 表达在前庭系统中比在耳蜗中更早发生;(3)两个亚基的 mRNA 表达对于组装的受体复合物是必需的;(4)至少在耳蜗中,假定组装的受体与突触形成和功能的出现有关。