Mechanistic basis of otolith formation during inner ear development
6/18/2012 By Linda H. Conway
Developmental Cell, February 15, 2011A study on processes related to the development of balance sensors in the inner ear, which was done by Professor Jonathan Freund and colleagues at Caltech, is featured in a recent cover article in the journal Developmental Cell.
Written by By Linda H. Conway
Developmental Cell, February 15, 2011
Developmental Cell, February 15, 2011
A study on processes related to the development of balance sensors in the inner ear, which was done by Professor Jonathan Freund and colleagues at Caltech, is featured in a recent cover article in the journal Developmental Cell.
Otoliths, which are connected to stereociliary bundles in the inner ear, serve as inertial sensors for balance. This was a study of their development via a biomineralization/agglomeration process in zebra fish, a processes which turns out to be tightly coupled with fluid flow driven by beating cilia in the inner ear. Prof. Freund developed a fluid mechanical model of this to complement detailed experiments done at Caltech.
Developmental Cell, Volume 20, Issue 2, 15 February 2011, Pages 271-278. ‘Mechanistic Basis of Otolith Formation during Teleost Inner Ear Development.’ By David Wu, Jonathan B. Freund, Scott E. Fraser and Julien Vermont.