Molecular mechanisms of sound amplification in the mammalian cochlea

Mammalian hearing depends on the enhanced mechanical properties of the basi lar membrane within the cochlear duct. The enhancement arises through the a ction of outer hair cells that act like force generators within the organ o f Corti. Simple considerations show that underlying mechanism of somatic mo tility depends on local area changes within the lateral membrane of the cel l. The molecular basis for this phenomenon is a dense array of particles th at are inserted into the basolateral membrane and that are capable of sensi ng membrane potential field. We show here that outer hair cells selectively take up fructose, at rates high enough to suggest that a sugar transporter may be part of the motor complex. The relation of these findings to a rece nt candidate for the molecular motor is also discussed.