Name: auditory brainstem response and outer hair cell whole-cell patch clamp recording in postnatal rats
Uploaded: 2018-05-24T12:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Auditory Brainstem Response and Outer Hair Cell Whole-cell Patch Clamp Recording in Postnatal Rats at JoVE.com

This work was supported by grants from the 973 Program (2014CB943002) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11534013, 31500841).

All experimental protocols involving animal subjects were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Southern Medical University.
1. Prepare Solutions for Experiments
<ol>
	<li>Prepare the anesthetic (see Table of Materials): 1.5% pentobarbital sodium dissolved in ddH2O.</li>
	<li>Prepare the dissection solution (see Table of Materials): Dissolve one bag of Leiboviz&#39;s L-15 powder in 1 L of ddH2O. Adjust pH to 7.3 with 1 M NaOH. ...

<ol>
	<li>He, D. Z., Zheng, J., Kalinec, F., Sacchi Kakehata, S. S. a. n. t. o. s. -., J, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tuning+in+to+the+amazing+outer+hair+cell:+membrane+wizardry+with+a+twist+and+shout.">Tuning in to the amazing outer hair cell: membrane wizardry with a twist and shout.</a> J Membr Biol. 209, 119-134 (2006).</li><li>Dallos, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cochlear+amplification,+outer+hair+cells+and+prestin.">Cochlear amplification, outer hair cells and prestin.</a> Curr Opin Neurobiol. 18, 370-376 (2008).</li><li>Zheng, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Prestin+is+the+motor+protein+of+cochlear+outer+hair+cells.">Prestin is the motor protein of cochlear outer hair cells.</a> Nature. 405, 149-155 (2000).</li><li>Abe, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Developmental+expression+of+the+outer+hair+cell+motor+prestin+in+the+mouse.">Developmental expression of the outer hair cell motor prestin in the mouse.</a> J Membr Biol. 215, 49-56 (2007).</li><li>Waguespack, J., Salles, F. T., Kachar, B., Ricci, A. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Stepwise+morphological+and+functional+maturation+of+mechanotransduction+in+rat+outer+hair+cells.">Stepwise morphological and functional maturation of mechanotransduction in rat outer hair cells.</a> J Neurosci. 27, 13890-13902 (2007).</li><li>Zhang, L. I., Bao, S., Merzenich, M. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Persistent+and+specific+influences+of+early+acoustic+environments+on+primary+auditory+cortex.">Persistent and specific influences of early acoustic environments on primary auditory cortex.</a> Nat Neurosci. 4, 1123 (2001).</li><li>De, V. -. S. E., Chang, E. F., Bao, S., Merzenich, M. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Critical+period+window+for+spectral+tuning+defined+in+the+primary+auditory+cortex+(A1)+in+the+rat.">Critical period window for spectral tuning defined in the primary auditory cortex (A1) in the rat.</a> J Neurosci. 27, 180-189 (2007).</li><li>He, D. Z., Evans, B. N., Dallos, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=First+appearance+and+development+of+electromotility+in+neonatal+gerbil+outer+hair+cells.">First appearance and development of electromotility in neonatal gerbil outer hair cells.</a> Hearing Res. 78, 77-90 (1994).</li><li>Hang, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synchronized+Progression+of+Prestin+Expression+and+Auditory+Brainstem+Response+during+Postnatal+Development+in+Rats.">Synchronized Progression of Prestin Expression and Auditory Brainstem Response during Postnatal Development in Rats.</a> Neural Plast. , 4545826 (2016).</li><li>Ehret, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Development+of+absolute+auditory+thresholds+in+the+house+mouse+(Mus+musculus).">Development of absolute auditory thresholds in the house mouse (Mus musculus).</a> J Am Audiol Soc. 1, 179-184 (1976).</li><li>M&#248;ller, A. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Hearing:anatomy, physiology, and disorders of the auditory system. , (2006).</li><li>He, D. Z., Zheng, J., Edge, R., Dallos, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+of+cochlear+inner+hair+cells.">Isolation of cochlear inner hair cells.</a> Hearing Res. 145, 156-160 (2000).</li><li>Tang, J., Pecka, J. L., Tan, X., Beisel, K. W., He, D. Z. Z. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Engineered+Pendrin+Protein,+an+Anion+Transporter+and+Molecular+Motor.">Engineered Pendrin Protein, an Anion Transporter and Molecular Motor.</a> J Biological Chem. 286, 31014-31021 (2011).</li><li>Fu, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Effects+of+Urethane+on+Rat+Outer+Hair+Cells.">The Effects of Urethane on Rat Outer Hair Cells.</a> Neural Plast. 2016, 1-11 (2016).</li></ol>

In rats younger than day 11, no action potential in response to sound stimulation could be observed in auditory cortex6,7. Therefore, postnatal day 11 is described as &#34;hearing onset&#34;10. The development of hearing function before hearing onset was not well studied yet. Using the similar method for adult ABR recording, we demonstrate that ABRs could be elicited by pure tone burst from rat pups younger than P11 (F...

Two distinct functions of cochlear sensory hair cells are essential for mammalian hearing: mechanoelectric transduction (MET) and electromotility1,2. By MET channels located in the hair bundle, IHCs (IHCs) and OHCs convert sound vibration into membrane potential changes, as well as the electrical signals of innervated spiral ganglion neurons. OHCs change their cell length with the membrane potential and amplify the vibration of low-level sound. This activity termed electromotility is derived by the motor protein prestin located in the lateral wall of OHCs3.
In many species including rodents, the hearing function is immature in early postnatal epoch4,5. No action potential in response to sound signals could be detected in the auditory cortex before the hearing onset6,7. Development of morphology and function of the cochlea has been widely studied in mouse, gerbil, and rat4,5,8. The mechanotransduction and electromotility of hair cells are also developed in the early life epoch5.
In order to evaluate the hearing sensitivity of rats at different postnatal ages, we have developed a method for auditory brainstem response (ABR) recording in rat pups. Whole-cell patch clamp is an ideal technology to investigate the OHCs electrophysiologically. However, compared with the patch clamp performed in neurons and other epithelial cells, the low rate of whole-cell sealing limited the investigation of electromotility of isolated OHCs.
Here we describe a procedure to investigate the OHCs morphologically and electrophysiologically in acutely dissociated cochlea from postnatal rats. This method can be modified to study the molecular mechanisms that regulate inner hair cell development and function.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Anesthetic</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pentobarbital sodium</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P3761</td>
			<td>1.5% in water</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dissection solution</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Leiboviz&#39;s L-15 Medium</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>41300-039</td>
			<td>1 pack in 1 L water</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Collagenase IV</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>C5138</td>
			<td>2 mg/mL in L-15</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>7365-45-9</td>
			<td>10 mM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Immunostaining solutions</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBS</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>10010023</td>
			<td>PH 7.3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paraformaldehyde</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>158127</td>
			<td>4% in PBS</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton X-100</td>
			<td>Amresco</td>
			<td>ZS-0694</td>
			<td>0.3% in PBS</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Normal goat serum</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>10000C</td>
			<td>10% in PBS</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>prestin antibody</td>
			<td>Santa Cruz</td>
			<td>SC-22694</td>
			<td>dil 1:200</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated antibody</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A-11055</td>
			<td>dil 1:600</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phalloidin-Tetramethylrhodamine B isothiocyanate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P1951</td>
			<td>dil 1:200</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DAPI</td>
			<td>Solarbio</td>
			<td>C0060</td>
			<td>dil 1:20</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Extracellular solution</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Leiboviz&#39;s L-15 Medium</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>41300-039</td>
			<td>1 pack in 1 L water</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>7365-45-9</td>
			<td>10 mM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Intracellular solution</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CsCl</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>7647-17-8</td>
			<td>140 mM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MgCl2</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>7791-18-6</td>
			<td>2 mM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EGTA</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>67-42-5</td>
			<td>10 mM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>7365-45-9</td>
			<td>10 mM</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Equipment</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Osmometer</td>
			<td>Gonotec</td>
			<td>OSMOMAT 3000 basic</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Forcep</td>
			<td>WPI</td>
			<td>14095</td>
			<td>Tweezers dumont</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micropipette puller</td>
			<td>Sutter Instrument</td>
			<td>MODLE-P97</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micro Forge</td>
			<td>Narishigen</td>
			<td>MF-830</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mini Operating System</td>
			<td>Sutter Instrument</td>
			<td>MP-285</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MultiClamp</td>
			<td>Axon</td>
			<td>700B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Low-Noise Data Acquisition System</td>
			<td>Axon</td>
			<td>1440A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ES1 speaker</td>
			<td>Tucker-Davis Technologies</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TDT system 3</td>
			<td>Tucker-Davis Technologies</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Software</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>SigGenRP software</td>
			<td>Tucker-Davis Technologies</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BioSigRP software</td>
			<td>Tucker-Davis Technologies</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>jClamp</td>
			<td>Scientific Solutions</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Animal</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>SD rat</td>
			<td>Experimental Animal Center of Southern Medical University</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

auditory brainstem response and outer hair cell whole-cell patch clamp recording in postnatal rats

The outer hair cell is one of the two types of sensory hair cells in the mammalian cochlea. They alter their cell length with the receptor potential to amplify the weak vibration of low-level sound signal. The morphology and electrophysiological property of outer hair cells (OHCs) develop in early postnatal ages. The maturation of outer hair cell may contribute to the development of the auditory system. However, the process of OHCs development is not well studied. This is partly because of the difficulty to measure their function by an electrophysiological approach. With the purpose of developing a simple method to address the above issue, here we describe a step-by-step protocol to study the function of OHCs in acutely dissociated cochlea from postnatal rats. With this method, we can evaluate the cochlear response to pure tone stimuli and examine the expression level and function of the motor protein prestin in OHCs. This method can also be used to investigate the inner hair cells (IHCs).

ABR can be elicited from anesthetized rat pups older than postnatal day 7 (P7) using pure tone bursts (Figure 1A). As shown in Figure 1B, the ABR waveforms obtained from rat pups showed only three to four distinct waves with small amplitude. Usually, up to seven peaks were observed in the ABR waveforms of adult animals (Figure 1B).
For the ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Auditory Brainstem Response and Outer Hair Cell Whole-cell Patch Clamp Recording in Postnatal Rats at JoVE.com

Auditory Brainstem Response and Outer Hair Cell Whole-cell Patch Clamp Recording in Postnatal Rats

This protocol describes methods to record the auditory brainstem response from postnatal rat pups. To examine the functional development of outer hair cells, the experimental procedure of whole-cell patch clamp recording in isolated outer hair cells is described step-by-step.

The outer hair cell is one of the two types of sensory hair cells in the mammalian cochlea. They alter their cell length with the receptor potential to ...

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