Distribution of Voltage‐Gated Sodium Channels and Scaffolding Proteins on Vestibular Calyx Ending Delineates the Axon Initial Segment

TL;DR

This study shows that the calyx endings in the inner ear have distinct regions with specific sodium channels and proteins, similar to parts of brain neurons, which may explain how they transmit signals.

Contribution

The paper identifies specific sodium channels and scaffolding proteins in microdomains of vestibular calyx endings, revealing a structure analogous to the axon initial segment in neurons.

Findings

Voltage-gated sodium channels and scaffolding proteins are differentially distributed across calyx microdomains.

The calyx outer surface functions similarly to an axon initial segment in central neurons.

Variation in sodium channel subunits correlates with differences in afferent firing properties across epithelial zones.

Abstract

The amniote inner ear contains an unusual type of hair cell and a unique postsynaptic calyx terminal with specialized ion channel expression and afferent transmission mechanisms. The calyceal afferent terminal enwraps the hair cell and leads to a heminode. It has morphological and functional microdomains with distinct complements of potassium channels and scaffolding proteins. Stimulation of hair cells gives rise to postsynaptic potentials in the membrane facing the hair cell that propagate along the outer face of the calyx and parent axon to the heminode, giving rise to spikes with timing and response properties that vary with location (epithelial zone) and afferent morphology (calyx‐only vs. dimorphic with additional bouton terminals). Heminodes of calyx‐only afferents lie within the epithelium, placing the calyces themselves closer to the heminode. We report that diverse voltage‐gated sodium (NaV) channel proteins (including NaV1.1–1.3, 1.5. 1.6, 1.8, and 1.9), HCN (hyperpolarization‐activated cyclic nucleotide‐gated) channels, and associated scaffolding proteins (ankyrins, βIV‐spectrin, and ezrin) are differentially deployed across calyx microdomains, and specific complements of proteins also vary with innervation zone in vestibular epithelia. Our results suggest the calyx outer surface plays a role analogous to an axon initial segment in central neurons, and that systematic variation in NaV pore‐forming subunits underlies differences in firing properties of vestibular afferents in different epithelial zones.

Various sodium channel isoforms and their scaffolding proteins are found in four different microdomains in vestibular calyx‐bearing afferents. These microdomains serve different purposes, analogous to the heminode, axon initial segment, and synaptic domains of other types of sensory afferents.

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