Biomedical subjects

Katsuhisa Ikeda

Publications and source records attributed to Katsuhisa Ikeda.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A novel tumor marker, Niban, is expressed in subsets of thyroid tumors and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Niban is a recently identified molecular marker of renal carcinogenesis in the Tsc2 gene-mutant Eker rat. Niban expression is most dramatically increased in the early stage of renal carcinogenesis and might decline during malignant progression. Niban is also expressed in various histologic types of human renal cell carcinoma. Therefore, Niban might be a good marker for renal carcinogenesis in both animal models and humans. In the present study, we examined Niban expression in various thyroid lesions by immunohistochemical staining using polyclonal rabbit antihuman Niban antibody. Normal thyroid tissue never stained for Niban. Niban was most frequently expressed in tumors with oxyphilic cytoplasm, including oxyphilic variants of papillary carcinoma (4/4 = 100%), oxyphilic variants of follicular adenoma (7/7 = 100%), and oxyphilic variants of follicular carcinoma (5/5 = 100%). Eighty-one percent (44/54) of papillary carcinoma cases, including microcarcinomas, and follicular variants were also positively stained for Niban at variable intensities. Follicular carcinomas were less frequently and less intensely stained. In nonneoplastic lesions, cells were rarely positively stained. In Hashimoto's thyroiditis, scattered cells with oxyphilic cell metaplasia were weakly Niban-positive. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis of frozen tissue confirmed Niban expression at the molecular level in 4 cases of papillary carcinoma. Taken together, Niban expression is up-regulated in various types of thyroid tumors. We postulate that Niban expression may play an important role in the tumorigenic process of the thyroid in several scenarios. (1) Niban expression may be closely related to the carcinogenic process, especially from the early stage of papillary thyroid carcinoma. (2) Niban may be closely associated with altered mitochondrial functions in preneoplastic and neoplastic processes of the thyroid. (3) Niban may be a molecular marker of the oxyphilic phenotype under various conditions. Further functional studies of Niban will clarify the role of Niban in various thyroid lesions.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

PubMed2006

Imaging by atomic force microscopy of the plasma membrane of prestin-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells.

The high sensitivity of mammalian hearing is achieved by amplification of the motion of the cochlear partition. This cochlear amplification is thought to be generated by the elongation and contraction of outer hair cells (OHCs) in response to acoustical stimulation. This motility is made possible by a membrane protein embedded in the lateral membrane of OHCs. Although a fructose transporter, GLUT-5, was initially proposed to be this protein, a later study identified the gene of the motor protein distributed throughout the OHC plasma membrane. This protein has been named "prestin." However, although previous morphological studies by electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) found the lateral wall of OHCs to be covered with 10-nm particles, believed to be motor proteins, it is unknown whether such particles consist only of prestin or are a complex of GLUT-5 and prestin molecules. To determine if the 10-nm particles are indeed constituted only of prestin, plasma membranes of prestin-transfected and untransfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, which do not express GLUT-5, were observed by AFM. First, the cells attached to a substrate were sonicated so that only the plasma membrane remained on the substrate. The cytoplasmic face of the cell was observed by the tapping mode of the AFM in liquid. As a result, particle-like structures were recognized on the plasma membranes of both the prestin-transfected and untransfected CHO cells. Comparison of the difference in the frequency distribution of these structures between those two cells showed approximately 75% of the particle-like structures with a diameter of 8-12 nm in the prestin-transfected CHO cells to be possibly constituted only by prestin molecules. Our data suggest that the densely packed 10-nm particles observed on the OHC lateral wall are likely to be constituted only of prestin molecules.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

A novel KCNQ4 one-base deletion in a large pedigree with hearing loss: implication for the genotype-phenotype correlation.

Autosomal-dominant, nonsyndromic hearing impairment is clinically and genetically heterogeneous. We encountered a large Japanese pedigree in which nonsyndromic hearing loss was inherited in an autosomal-dominant fashion. A genome-wide linkage study indicated linkage to the DFNA2 locus on chromosome 1p34. Mutational analysis of KCNQ4 encoding a potassium channel revealed a novel one-base deletion in exon 1, c.211delC, which generated a profoundly truncated protein without transmembrane domains (p.Q71fsX138). Previously, six missense mutations and one 13-base deletion, c.211_223del, had been reported in KCNQ4. Patients with the KCNQ4 missense mutations had younger-onset and more profound hearing loss than patients with the 211_223del mutation. In our current study, 12 individuals with the c.211delC mutation manifested late-onset and pure high-frequency hearing loss. Our results support the genotype-phenotype correlation that the KCNQ4 deletions are associated with later-onset and milder hearing impairment than the missense mutations. The phenotypic difference may be caused by the difference in pathogenic mechanisms: haploinsufficiency in deletions and dominant-negative effect in missense mutations.

Asian People↗

PubMed2006

Functional inferior turbinosurgery (FITS) for the treatment of resistant chronic rhinitis.

CONCLUSIONS: Modified vidian neurectomy combined with inferior turbinoplasty provided an optimal surgical outcome as a treatment for intractable chronic rhinitis as evidenced by a relatively long-term follow-up. OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to determine the efficacy of submucosal reduction of the inferior turbinate and resection of the posterior nasal nerve for the treatment of resistant chronic rhinitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-six consecutive patients (37 males and 19 females; mean+/-SD age, 26+/-11 years) with resistant allergic rhinitis or nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome despite medical treatment. Symptomatic improvement including nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, sneezing, smell perception, and quality of life and objective evaluation of nasal airway resistance and nasal provocation test before and after surgery were investigated. RESULTS: The patients showed a remarkable improvement of > or = 80%, with the exception of two patients who had an approximately 50% reduction of the total symptomatic scores. Four of eight patients with anosmia subjectively improved whereas the other four patients felt unchanged. All patients who underwent rhinomanometry (n=15) and nasal provocation testing (n = 15) both before and after surgery showed a significant improvement. There were no intraoperative complications. Postoperative epistaxis occurred in one patient. One patient complained of a transient hypesthesia of the soft palate and dry eye. Nasal mucosal tears were observed in approximately 30% of the patients who otherwise showed no severe synechia or persistent crusting.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Morphologic analyses of mandible and upper airway soft tissue by MRI of patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the morphological features of the mandible and the volume of the upper airway soft tissues in determining the anatomical risk factors for the upper airway in Japanese male patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). METHODS: Five morphological parameters of the mandible at the mandibular base plane and three volumetric parameters of the upper airway soft tissue were analyzed using three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging software in 31 OSAHS and 20 controls. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in mandibular internal width (the distance between the internal right and left gonia [IRG and ILG]) and mandibular bony thickness. However, the patients with OSAHS had a significantly wider mandibular divergence (the angle between the spina mentalis (SM)- IRG line and SM- ILG line), a smaller mandibular internal length (the perpendicular distance from SM to the RG- LG line), and a smaller area than the normal subjects at the mandibular base plane. There were no significant differences in these morphological parameters for the mandible between obese and nonobese OSAHS patients. The volumes of the tongue, soft palate, and lateral pharyngeal walls were not significantly different between the OSAHS and the control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Japanese male OSAHS patients had specific anatomical features in the bottom part of the mandible; however, obesity seemed to be a less significant risk factor. Investigators and clinicians must realize that ethnicity may modify the effects of obesity and abnormal craniofacial anatomy as risk factors for the pathogenesis of OSAHS.

Asian People↗

PubMed2006

Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 is upregulated in the nasal mucosa with allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Heme oxygenase (HO) is considered to be an antioxidant enzyme that catabolizes heme to produce carbon monoxide (CO) and biliverdin. Three isoforms of HO have been discovered. Recently, HO-1 has been found to be upregulated after allergic inflammations of the lower airway. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to address the expression of HO isoenzymes 1 and 2 in the nasal mucosa of patients with allergic rhinitis as well as normal control subjects. METHODS: Nasal mucosa from 30 patients with persistent allergic rhinitis as well as from 10 normal volunteers was used in this study. We used immunofluorescent technique, Western blotting, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to localize and quantify the expression of these isoenzymes in normal and allergic human nasal tissues. RESULTS: We found that HO-1 is expressed in the epithelial cells of seromucinous glands and macrophages with significant upregulation of its glandular expression in allergic rhinitis but with no difference in its macrophage expression between the study groups in contrast to HO-2 that is expressed in the vascular endothelial lining cells as well as macrophages with no marked difference between the study groups. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that expression of HO-1, but not HO-2, was upregulated within the nasal tissues in allergic rhinitis inflammation, and understanding the induction of HO-1 expression may provide for better management of allergic rhinitis that involves oxidative stress.

Blotting, Western↗

PubMed2006

Treatment of idiopathic gustatory rhinorrhea by resection of the posterior nasal nerve.

We herein describe a case of 44-year old female who presented with a chief complaint of gustatory rhinorrhea from childhood, in which gustatory stimuli caused bilateral excessive, watery nasal secretion. No abnormality of taste acuity was observed. This disorder was presumably caused by faulty regenerated parasympathetic nerve fibers reaching the nasal mucosa or possibly, by a congenital condition. Nasal pretreatment with an anti-cholinergic drug clinically blocked the positive sugar-induced rhinorrhea, thus indicating that the gustatory rhinitis in this case was produced by foods that stimulate muscarinic receptors sensitive to atropine (probably on submucosal nasal glands). Although this syndrome can be treated prophylactically by the use of topical atropine, the patient preferred to undergo radical therapy and a resection of the posterior nasal nerve was performed through the middle meatus under endoscopic control. The resection of the nerve on both sides resulted in an almost complete inhibition of the sugar-induced rhinorrhea without serious complications. Although this disease is not life-threatening, it is socially embarrassing and troublesome to patients and surgical therapy is one of the accepted modalities.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Digital recording and analysis of esophageal pressure for patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.

To evaluate sleep-related obstructive breathing events in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), we developed a technique for digital recording and analysis of esophageal pressure (Pes) and elucidated the Pes parameters. Pes was recorded overnight with a microtip-type pressure transducer in 74 patients with OSAHS. Simultaneously, in all patients digital polysomnography was recorded. The mean nadir end-apneic Pes swing (Pes Nadir) ranged from -20.2 to -147.4 cmH(2)O, with a mean of -53.6+/-2.9 cmH(2)O. Correlation of the mean Pes Nadir indicated a linear relationship with the mean ratio of maximal Pes swing to apnea duration (r(2)=0.70) and the mean area of the Pes (Pes Area) (r(2)=0.82). Significant correlations were noted between the mean Pes Nadir and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI, ranging from 7.9 to 109.5 per hour; r(2)=0.66), minimum SpO(2) (r(2)=0.60), oxygen desaturation index (ODI) of more than 3 (r(2)=0.65), arousal index (r(2)=0.54), and between the mean Pes Area and AHI (r(2)=0.63), minimum percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation (SpO(2); r(2)=0.57), ODI (r(2)=0.69), and arousal index (r(2)=0.41). Pes parameters were found to be significant in the evaluation of the severity of the respiratory effort during the sleep-related obstructive breathing events for patients with OSAHS.

Electroencephalography↗

PubMed2005

Construction of an expression system for the motor protein prestin in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

The electromotility of outer hair cells (OHCs) is believed to be a major factor in cochlear amplification that enables the high sensitivity of hearing in mammals. This motility is thought to be based on voltage-dependent conformational changes of a motor protein embedded in the lateral wall of the OHC. In 2000, this motor protein was identified and termed prestin. To obtain knowledge on the function of prestin, research at the molecular level is necessary. For this purpose, a method of obtaining a large amount of prestin is required. In this study, an attempt was therefore made to construct an expression system for prestin. Prestin cDNA was introduced into Escherichia coli (E. coli), insect cells and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, and the expression of prestin was examined by Western blotting. As CHO cells expressed prestin well, we generated prestin-expressing cell lines using CHO cells by limiting dilution cloning. The stable expression and the activity of prestin in generated cell lines were then confirmed. Finally, to obtain prestin from these cell lines efficiently, culture conditions of the cells were examined, and it was clarified that cells should be cultured in serum-free medium and harvested around 48 h after passage.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Measurement techniques predicting the effectiveness of an oral appliance for obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.

The purpose of this study is to determine the measurement techniques that can predict the effectiveness of an oral appliance (OA) for the treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Split-night polysomnography and esophageal pressure (Pes) were recorded, and cephalometric tracings were superimposed for 25 OSAHS patients. The patients were classified into good and poor responders according to their apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and mean nadir Pes. When the degree of anterior displacement of the mandible was expressed by vector resolution, it was significantly different between the good and poor responders, whereas there was no significant difference in downward and total mandibular displacement between the two groups. Among the good responders evaluated on the basis of mean nadir Pes, their apnea index, hypopnea index, and mean nadir Pes were significantly different. However, AHI alone cannot predict the effectiveness of OA treatment. Good responders defined by mean nadir Pes also had short soft palates and a wide pharyngeal airway space. Conversely, no significant differences were observed in these parameters when good responders and poor responders are defined by AHI. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the degree of anterior displacement of the mandible showed a significant odds ratio of 1.97. In conclusion, evaluations based on Pes and analyses of the mandibular displacement expressed by vector resolution using a cephalometric superimposition technique can provide important clinical information in evaluation measurements and may be useful for the prediction of the efficacy of OA treatment for patients with OSAHS.

Cephalometry↗

PubMed2005

Th1 and Th2 cell population in chronic ethmoidal rhinosinusitis: a chemokine receptor assay.

BACKGROUND: It is necessary for the immune system in the nasal and paranasal sinus mucosa to possess appropriate responses to infective agents as well as allergic responses. Recently, the T helper (Th)1/Th2 paradigm has been proposed as a new concept to explain various immunologic phenomena. OBJECTIVE: Toward the goal of better understanding chronic rhinosinusitis, we have tried to define the predominating helper T-cell subsets among patients with chronic rhinosinusitis through characterizing the expressed chemokine receptors by these cells to find out the relation between these chemokine receptors' expression and the underlying pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis. METHODS: Thirty patients with ethmoidal chronic rhinosinusitis were used in our study. Patients were divided into atopic and nonatopic groups according to their serum immunoglobulin (Ig)E levels. Samples from ethmoidal sinus mucosa were processed as follows: frozen sections were examined immunohistochemically for detection of CCR4, CCR5, and EG2 positive cells and the mRNA of CCR4, and CCR5 transcripts were then examined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: By immunohistochemistry, atopic patients showed high expression of CCR4 and EG2 positive cells, whereas nonatopic patients showed high expression of CCR5 positive cells. The expression of CCR4 and CCR5 mRNA, detected by real-time quantitative PCR, supported the data obtained by immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that eosinophil recruitment associated with Th2 cell infiltration is the main factor responsible for the pathology of atopic rhinosinusitis.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Accumulation of pathogenic DeltamtDNA induced deafness but not diabetic phenotypes in mito-mice.

Mito-mice carrying various proportions of deletion mutant mtDNA (DeltamtDNA) were generated by introduction of the DeltamtDNA from cultured cells into fertilized eggs of C57BL/6J (B6) strain mice. Great advantages of mito-mice are that they share exactly the same nuclear-genome background, and that their genetic variations are restricted to proportions of pathogenic DeltamtDNA. Since accumulation of DeltamtDNA to more than 75% induced respiration defects, the disease phenotypes observed exclusively in mito-mice carrying more than 75% DeltamtDNA should be due to accumulated DeltamtDNA. In this study, we focused on the expressions of hearing loss and diabetic phenotypes, since these common age-associated abnormalities have sometimes been reported to be inherited maternally and to be associated with pathogenic mutant mtDNAs. The results showed that accumulation of exogenously introduced DeltamtDNA was responsible for hearing loss, but not for expression of diabetic phenotypes in mito-mice.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

The effect of upper airway structural changes on central chemosensitivity in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea.

We examined the efficiency of upper airway structural changes in uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and/or tonsillectomy on central chemosensitivity, and whether the outcome of such surgeries can be predicted by the central chemosensitivity in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients. In 11 patients with OSAHS group, the average of the hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR) slope was 1.93 +/- 0.20 L/min/mm Hg preoperatively and 1.78 +/- 0.22 L/min/mm Hg postoperatively. The average of the mouth occlusion pressure at 0.1 second after the onset of inspiration (P (0.1)) slope was 0.47 +/- 0.06 cm H (2)O/mm Hg and 0.44 +/- 0.08 cm H (2)O/mm Hg, before and after surgery, respectively. There were no significant differences before and after treatment, although OSAHS was improved by these surgeries. In control group with 5 patients, the HCVR slope and P (0.1) slope also showed no significant difference before and after the procedure. When we divided the 11 OSAHS patients into 7 responders (apnea-hypopnea index < 20 events/h and > 50% reduction) and 4 poor responders, there was a significant difference between the average HCVR slope of responders (1.59 +/- 0.21 L/min/mm Hg) and that of poor responders (2.52 +/- 0.20 L/min/mm Hg). We saw no significant difference in physiologic (age, body mass index, one-piece tonsil weight), blood gas values, cephalometric, spirometric, or sleep parameters.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

The effects of hypoxia, premature birth, infection, ototoxic drugs, circulatory system and congenital disease on neonatal hearing loss.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence of neonatal hearing loss in well-baby populations and in a neonatal intensive care unit and to identify potential risk factors for hearing loss in a neonatal intensive care unit which the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) had not recommended. METHODS: Auditory screening was conducted in 226 infants (452 ears) born in Tohoku University from 2000 to 2001. The cases included 124 healthy newborn infants (248 ears), and 102 newborn infants (204 ears) treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Hearing impairment was confirmed through a primary screening of the automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) and a secondary test of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) with otolaryngologic evaluation. Based on these examinations, we divided infants into two groups, 'Pass' and 'Refer'. RESULTS: Nine patients (15 ears) in Refer group were identified through our protocol. The incidence of the Refer group was 0.8% (1 out of 124) in the well-baby nursery, 7.8% (8 out of 102) in the NICU populations. The infants in Refer group were shown to have a higher incidence of congenital infection (P < 0.01), high C-reactive protein (CRP) (> or =10 mg/dl), chromosomal aberration, and central nervous system abnormality (P < 0.05). On the other hand, there were no statistical differences between the Pass and Refer groups in NICU, birth weight (<2200 g), gestational age, the values of total serum bilirubin, the values of arterial blood gases (pH, PaCO2 , PaO2 ), percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2), hemodynamics (blood pressure and heart rate) (P > 0.1). Respiratory status such as the Apgar score (the abbreviation for appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, respiration) (1 min; < or =4), (5 min; < or =6), Silverman retraction score, ototoxic drug use, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), and persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn (PPHN) were also not statistically related to hearing loss (>0.999). CONCLUSION: Even in a small number of infants, there are positive relationships between hearing loss and congenital infection, high CRP (> or =10 mg/dl), chromosomal aberration and central nervous system abnormality. The CRP (> or =10 mg/dl) variable are not listed in the high-risk register published by the JCIH, but we can say that the variable may predict hearing impairment in our patient population. The possibility of autosomal recessive inheritance of genes for deafness is supposed when newborns have no other risk factors for hearing loss. This leads us to conclude that hearing screening is an effective way to find out hearing loss population.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

PubMed2004

Imaging of the cortical cytoskeleton of guinea pig outer hair cells using atomic force microscopy.

Mammalian outer hair cells (OHCs) are known to respond to acoustical stimulation with elongation and contraction of the cells' cylindrical soma in vivo, and this motility is related to both the protein motors distributed along the OHC plasma membrane and the cytoskeleton beneath it. Therefore, the cytoskeleton seems to play an important role in the motility of the OHC. Recently, an atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to investigate the OHC cytoskeleton under physiological conditions. However, details were not made clear in that study. In this study, the ultrastructure of the cytoskeleton of fixed OHCs of guinea pigs, which were extracted with Triton X-100, was investigated using the AFM. As a result, the cortical cytoskeleton, which is formed by discrete oriented domains, was imaged, and circumferential filaments and cross-links were observed within the domain. Morphological change of the cytoskeleton of the OHC induced by diamide treatment was then examined using the AFM, and reduction of cross-links was observed. The examination indicates that the cortical cytoskeleton comprises circumferential actin filaments and spectrin cross-links.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

PubMed2004

Endocochlear potential and endolymphatic K+ changes induced by gap junction blockers.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of gap junction blockers on the endocochlear potential (EP) and endolymphatic potassium concentration ([K(+)](e)). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The EP and [K(+)](e) were monitored using double-barreled ion-selective microelectrodes in the second turn of the guinea pig cochlea during perilymphatic perfusion. RESULTS: When the perilymphatic scalae of the cochlea were perfused with artificial perilymph containing 10 mM n-heptanol the EP was decreased by -8.8+/-1.4 mV (n=10), and this was accompanied by a decline in the [K(+)](e) of -6.7+/-2.1 mM (n=6). Perilymphatic application of 10 mM hexanol also produced declines in both the EP and [K(+)](e). In control studies, perilymphatic perfusion with 10 mM ethanol showed no remarkable changes in either the EP or [K(+)](e). Anoxia during perfusion with heptanol resulted in the generation of a negative EP, similar to the situation in controls. CONCLUSIONS: A decline in the EP together with a lowering of [K(+)](e) induced by long-chain n-alkanols, which act as gap junction blockers, may be explained by an interruption in potassium ion transport related to a gap junction dysfunction.

Alcohols↗

PubMed2004

Mutation detection of GJB2 using IsoCode and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction with SYBR green I dye for newborn hearing screening.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Recent developments in molecular genetics have opened a new era in genetic analysis accompanied by new concepts concerning genetic disorders. Although 30 genes responsible for nonsyndromic deafness have been discovered as of March 27, 2003, the connexin 26 gene (GJB2) is commonly found in cases of deafness of unknown origins. The GJB2 contains a predicted open reading frame of 785 base pairs, which makes it relatively easy to detect mutations. Accordingly, mutation analysis of GJB2 should be suitable for the screening of congenital deafness. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. METHODS: IsoCode Stix is a useful device to isolate DNA from small samples of blood, which can be delivered from remote areas. To apply the detection of common mutations of GJB2 to hearing screening, DNA was extracted from several droplets of blood applied to the IsoCode device, and an allele-specific amplification method with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed using GeneAmp 7700 with SYBR Green I dye. RESULTS: DNA extracted from IsoCode was purified within 45 minutes, which was sufficient to detect the full sequence of GJB2. Four types of common GJB2 mutations were reliably detected within 2.5 hours. CONCLUSION: IsoCode and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction will be promising tools for newborn screening of deafness genes in the future in DNA-based deafness screening, allowing early diagnosis of deafness and prompt training for language development.

Benzothiazoles↗

PubMed2004

Gene-based deafness research: ion transport and hearing.

The cochlea is a sensory organ that converts physical (sound) stimulation into electrical signals. This process is fundamentally and substantially based upon the ion transport system. Here, I summarize the physiological and molecular biological aspects of transporters, channels and receptors expressed in the cochlea. With reference to these findings, recent advances in genetic research on hereditary deafness are discussed.

Animals↗