How pH controls the spiking pattern in developing auditory sensory cells – HairSpike

Sensory systems maturation relies on the electric activity in neurons during developmental stages. In the cochlea, the sensory cells, the inner hair cells, fire spontaneous calcium action potentials. This spiking activity at the pre-hearing stage allows the inner hair cells to automatically stimulate the auditory nerve fibers and hence, to ensure the proper connectivity along the ascending auditory pathway. Here, our project consists to determine the mechanism underlying the autonomous activity in the hair cells as well as its role on the auditory system formation. To do so, we will employ multidisciplinary approaches, i.e., molecular biology and electrophysiology. Taken together, the output of this project should weight the peripheral imprint in the formation of the central auditory neurons.