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Am J Physiol Cell Physiol (September 27, 2006). doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00560.2005
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Submitted on November 1, 2005
Accepted on August 30, 2006

A Computational Model of Vectorial Potassium Transport by Cochlear Marginal Cells and Vestibular Dark Cells

Imran H Quraishi1 and Robert M Raphael1*

1 Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rraphael{at}rice.edu.

Cochlear marginal cells and vestibular dark cells transport potassium into the the inner ear endolymph, a potassium-rich fluid, the homeostasis of which is essential for hearing and balance. We have formulated an integrated mathematical model of ion transport across these epithelia that incorporates the biophysical properties of the major ion transporters and channels located in the apical and basolateral membranes of the constituent cells. The model is constructed for both open and short circuit situations to test the extremes of functional capacity of the epithelium and predicts the steady-state voltages, ion concentrations, and transepithelial currents as a function of various transporter and channel densities. We validate the model by establishing that the cells are capable of vectorial ion transport consistent with several experimental measurements. The model indicates that cochlear marginal cells do not make a significant direct contribution to the endocochlear potential and illustrates how changes to the activity of specific transport proteins lead to reduced potassium flux across the marginal and dark cell layers. In particular, we investigate the mechanisms of loop diuretic ototoxicity and diseases with hearing loss in which potassium and chloride transport are compromised, such as Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome and Bartter's syndrome, type IV, respectively. Such simulations demonstrate the utility of compartmental modeling in investigating the role of ion homeostasis in inner ear physiology and pathology.







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