The study proposes to use patch-clamp techniques to study the modulation of K+ conductance in Type I vestibular hair cells. The investigato hypothesize that alterations in extracellular K+ and phosphorylation of an intracellular enzyme could lead to alterations in K+ conductance in response t a depolarizing stimulus. The second aim of the study is to record ionic currents in utricular cells in situ, and contrast these recordings with those obtained from isolated hair cells.

R03DC003527

1997-07-01

1997-12-31