A number of ion channels and transporters are expressed in both the inner ear and kidney.
In the inner ear, K+ cycling and endolymphatic K+, Na+, Ca2+, and pH homeostasis are …

Gap-junction channels connect the cytoplasm of adjacent cells, allowing the diffusion of ions
and small metabolites. They are formed at the appositional plasma membranes by a family …

Mammalian hearing requires the development of the organ of Corti, a sensory epithelium
comprising unique cell types. The limited number of each of these cell types, combined with …

Extracellular ATP controls various signaling systems including propagation of intercellular
Ca2+ signals (ICS). Connexin hemichannels, P2x7 receptors (P2x7Rs), pannexin channels …

Neurons in the developing auditory system fire bursts of action potentials before the onset of
hearing. This spontaneous activity promotes the survival and maturation of auditory neurons …

Spontaneous electrical activity of neurons in developing sensory systems promotes their
maturation and proper connectivity. In the auditory system, spontaneous activity of cochlear …

We consider the impact of purinergic signaling on the physiology of the special senses of
vision, smell, taste and hearing. Purines (particularly ATP and adenosine) act as …

Normal development, function and repair of the sensory epithelia in the inner ear are all
dependent on gap junctional intercellular communication. Mutations in the connexin genes …

Spontaneous bursts of electrical activity in the developing auditory system arise within the
cochlea before hearing onset and propagate through future sound-processing circuits of the …

Defects in several different connexins have been associated with several different diseases.
The most common of these is deafness, where a few mutations in connexin (Cx) 26 have …