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Synaptic coupling of inner ear sensory cells is controlled by brevican-based extracellular matrix baskets resembling perineuronal nets

Overview of attention for article published in BMC Biology, September 2018
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Title
Synaptic coupling of inner ear sensory cells is controlled by brevican-based extracellular matrix baskets resembling perineuronal nets
Published in
BMC Biology, September 2018
DOI 10.1186/s12915-018-0566-8
Pubmed ID
Authors

Mandy Sonntag, Maren Blosa, Sophie Schmidt, Katja Reimann, Kerstin Blum, Tobias Eckrich, Gudrun Seeger, Dietmar Hecker, Bernhard Schick, Thomas Arendt, Jutta Engel, Markus Morawski

Abstract

Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are specialized aggregations of extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules surrounding specific neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). PNNs are supposed to control synaptic transmission and are frequently associated with neurons firing at high rates, including principal neurons of auditory brainstem nuclei. The origin of high-frequency activity of auditory brainstem neurons is the indefatigable sound-driven transmitter release of inner hair cells (IHCs) in the cochlea. Here, we show that synaptic poles of IHCs are ensheathed by basket-like ECM complexes formed by the same molecules that constitute PNNs of neurons in the CNS, including brevican, aggreccan, neurocan, hyaluronan, and proteoglycan link proteins 1 and 4 and tenascin-R. Genetic deletion of brevican, one of the main components, resulted in a massive degradation of ECM baskets at IHCs, a significant impairment in spatial coupling of pre- and postsynaptic elements and mild impairment of hearing. These ECM baskets potentially contribute to control of synaptic transmission at IHCs and might be functionally related to PNNs of neurons in the CNS.

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The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 25 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 25 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 5 20%
Student > Bachelor 2 8%
Student > Doctoral Student 2 8%
Other 2 8%
Student > Master 2 8%
Other 4 16%
Unknown 8 32%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Neuroscience 5 20%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 4 16%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 3 12%
Sports and Recreations 1 4%
Medicine and Dentistry 1 4%
Other 1 4%
Unknown 10 40%