Exploiting Transgenic Mice to Explore the Role of the Tectorial Membrane in Cochlear Sensory Processing

Abstract

Recent observations have changed our understanding of tectorial membrane function. Transgenic mice have shown that the tectorial membrane is a structure that can influence the sensitivity and tuning properties of the cochlea in several ways. It ensures that the gain and timing of cochlear feedback are optimal; that the hair bundles of the inner hair cells are driven efficiently by the outer hair cells, and it may influence the extent to which different elements are coupled along the length of the cochlea.