Understanding synaptopathy at inner hair cell ribbon synapses on the ultrastructural level (A07)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: from 2012 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 154113120

Defects in auditory synaptic transmission cause hearing impairment, and a degeneration of ribbon synapses takes place during age-related hearing loss. Understanding different phases of exocytosis at inner hair cell (IHC) ribbon synapses and determining structural changes at IHC active zones that precede the loss of ribbons and postsynaptic spiral ganglion neurons during age-related ribbon degeneration are the two aims of this study. We will combine optogenetics with high-pressure freezing and electron tomography on different mutants of presynaptic proteins and will perform large volume 3D-ultrastructural reconstructions of IHCs in distinct stages of aging together with electron-tomography.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 889: Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Project Head: Professorin Dr. Carolin Wichmann