Dcc Mediates Functional Assembly of Peripheral Auditory Circuits.

Authors

Young J Kim, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California
Sheng-Zhi Wang, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California
Stephen Tymanskyj, Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Le Ma, Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Huizhong W Tao, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California; Department of Cell and Neurobiology, University of Southern California
Li I Zhang, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Southern California

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-4-2016

Comments

This article has been peer reviewed. It was published in: Scientific Reports.

Volume 6, 4 April 2016, Article number 23799.

The published version is available at DOI: 10.1038/srep23799

Copyright © 2016, Macmillan Publishers Limited This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Abstract

Proper structural organization of spiral ganglion (SG) innervation is crucial for normal hearing function. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the developmental formation of this precise organization remain not well understood. Here, we report in the developing mouse cochlea that deleted in colorectal cancer (Dcc) contributes to the proper organization of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) within the Rosenthal's canal and of SGN projections toward both the peripheral and central auditory targets. In Dcc mutant embryos, mispositioning of SGNs occurred along the peripheral auditory pathway with misrouted afferent fibers and reduced synaptic contacts with hair cells. The central auditory pathway simultaneously exhibited similar defective phenotypes as in the periphery with abnormal exit of SGNs from the Rosenthal's canal towards central nuclei. Furthermore, the axons of SGNs ascending into the cochlear nucleus had disrupted bifurcation patterns. Thus, Dcc is necessary for establishing the proper spatial organization of SGNs and their fibers in both peripheral and central auditory pathways, through controlling axon targeting and cell migration. Our results suggest that Dcc plays an important role in the developmental formation of peripheral and central auditory circuits, and its mutation may contribute to sensorineural hearing loss.

Recommended Citation

Kim, Young J; Wang, Sheng-Zhi; Tymanskyj, Stephen; Ma, Le; Tao, Huizhong W; and Zhang, Li I, "Dcc Mediates Functional Assembly of Peripheral Auditory Circuits." (2016). Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers. Paper 16.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/department_neuroscience/16

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.