| Hair cell is the sensory cell of auditory system. Sound wave is transferred to electric signal through hair cell in basal membrane, and then transmit to central nervous system as the sound information that our brain can recognize. Hair cell plays an important role during the process of hearing generation and maintenance. Apical surface of hair cell is composed of branched F-actin with hair bundle embedded in it. The research of auditory area emphasize on the constitution, structure and function of stereocilia, and we know little about the structure and function of cuticular plate. According to the previous work of our lab, SNX9 express in cuticular plate. It is known that SNX9 can enhance the polymerization of F-actin. We use western-blot, immunofluorescence, and section staining to detect the expression of SNX9 in hair cell during development process. The experiment results suggest that SNX9 express on El4.5 in vestibular system and on El6.5 in auditory system. The expression in both systems is late for 1 day the the expression of Myo7a, an early hair cell marker. In auditory system, SNX9 increase along with the development of hair cell, reach the peak on P5 and keep the high expression. SNX9 appear earlier than the mature cuticular plate and the expression trend is the same with the development extent of cuticular plate. All in all, we believe SNX9 play an important role during the development and maintenance of cuticular plate in vestibular and auditory system. For a long time, cuticular plate is only thought to support stereocilia. According to the research in recent years, researchers find that cuticular plate may take part in protein transportation, PCP and magnetic perception. Our work about the expression and function of SNX9 in cuticular plate during hair cell development could help us understand the development mechanism and the potential function of cuticular plate better. |
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