Navigation Links
Yale researchers find environmental toxins disruptive to hearing in mammals

Yale School of Medicine researchers have new data showing chloride ions are critical to hearing in mammals, which builds on previous research showing a chemical used to keep barnacles off boats might disrupt the balance of these ions in ear cells.

"Our data are the first to directly show that chloride ions are crucial for our exquisite sense of hearing," said Joseph Santos-Sacchi, professor in the Departments of Surgery and Neurobiology and first author of the study in the Journal of Neuroscience."These data also indicate that the hearing in marine and other mammals could be affected by environmental toxins, such as TBT (tributyl tin), because they appear to alter the balance of chloride ions in the outer hair cell."

Sensitive hearing in mammals relies on cochlear amplification resulting from the motor activity of outer hair cells. They are the only group of animals that have outer hair cells. Additionally, TBT is known to damage the immune and hormonal systems of marine mammals.

In this study on guinea pigs, Santos-Sacchi tested whether TBT or salicylate, which is a chemical that occurs naturally in plants and is a component of aspirin, interfered with the guinea pigs' ability to hear. He found that TBT, salicylate, or otherwise altering the extracellular chloride levels in the cochleas, interfered with the balance of chloride in the outer hair cells and caused profound changes in sound amplification in the inner ear.

In his previous study using TBT on isolated cells only, Santos-Sacchi had proposed that the ear's ability to perceive sound would be compromised. He also speculated that whales and other marine mammals exposed to TBT would have altered sound localization abilities. The present findings confirm that their hearing is altered in mammals.

"Since many marine mammals use echolocation or sonar to get around, this could be contributing to whales and dolphins beaching and hitting ships," Santos-Sacchi said.


'"/>

Source:Yale University


Page: 1

Related biology news :

1. NYU researchers simulate molecular biological clock
2. Vital step in cellular migration described by UCSD medical researchers
3. ASU researchers finds novel chemistry at work to provide parrots vibrant red colors
4. UCSD researchers maintain stem cells without contaminated animal feeder layers
5. Why do insects stop breathing? To avoid damage from too much oxygen, say researchers
6. New protein discovered by Hebrew University researchers
7. First real-time view of developing neurons reveals surprises, say Stanford researchers
8. Agilent Technologies releases automated literature search tool for biology researchers
9. Self-assembled nano-sized probes allow Penn researchers to see tumors through flesh and skin
10. Yale researchers identify molecule for detecting parasitic infection in humans
11. US life expectancy about to decline, researchers say
Post Your Comments:
(Date:5/22/2013)... fatty acids in fish oil have long been thought ... American Heart Association currently recommends eating at least two ... in omega 3s. However, the mechanism behind this protective ... scientists led by Jason R. Carter of Michigan Technological ... that fish oil might specifically counteract the detrimental effects ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... of potential environmental and human health effects from ... year has led scientists to recommend stronger government ... lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery materials. That,s the conclusion of ... Environmental Science & Technology . , Oladele A. ... have become mainstays for powering everything from smart ...
(Date:5/22/2013)... responsible for legionellosis, an infectious disease that can lead ... has developed a complex method enabling it to camouflage ... these acting against the infectious bacteria. , Research led ... which teams from the National Institute of Health (NIH) ... Barcelona (BSC) have also participated, has described for the ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Fish oil may help the heart beat mental stress 2Mechanism discovered which aids Legionella to camouflage itself in the organism 2
... Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified unique metabolic properties that ... to survive and replicate in low-oxygen environments. In a ... Cell Stem Cell , investigators found that the low-oxygen microenvironments ... tolerated by a type of stem cell used as the ...
... 2010 The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular ... response to the Aug. 23 ruling in the U.S. ... a preliminary injunction barring federal funding of embryonic stem-cell ... decision, which came in response to a lawsuit filed ...
... consume foods purchased in vending machines are more likely to ... with being overweight, obese or at risk for chronic health ... research from the University of Michigan Medical School. The ... bars and other related sales that compete with USDA lunch ...
Cached Biology News:Researchers identify how bone-marrow stem cells hold their 'breath' in low-oxygen environments 2American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology reacts to stem-cell ruling 2Children who eat vended snack foods face chronic health problems, poor diet 2
(Date:5/21/2013)... OXFORD, England , May 22, 2013 ... inhaled, novel drug-only formulation of glycopyrronium bromide designed using ... speciality pharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of inhaled ... 2 clinical study with PSX1002 that will assess its ... range of doses in patients with moderate to severe ...
(Date:5/21/2013)...  The Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute of the New ... Grand Challenges Explorations winner, an initiative funded by the ... Sara Lustigman , Head of the Laboratory of Molecular ... project, titled Innovative 3-D in vitro culturing ... screen drugs to help eliminate onchocerciasis (river blindness) in ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... Through science fairs, workshops, kits for building ... 25 organizations will continue their work to increase awareness ... in daily life with the aid of SPIE ... 10 countries, are the first of two groups of ... the international society for optics and photonics , in ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... 2013 Alpha Source, Inc., a ... be exhibiting for the 13th consecutive year at ... (AAMI) 2013 Conference and Expo. The conference brings ... manufacture healthcare technologies. This year’s event will be ... , The three-day event draws over 1,500 ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Prosonix Initiates Phase 2 Clinical Study with PSX1002 in Patients with Moderate to Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) 2Prosonix Initiates Phase 2 Clinical Study with PSX1002 in Patients with Moderate to Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) 3Prosonix Initiates Phase 2 Clinical Study with PSX1002 in Patients with Moderate to Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) 4New York Blood Center's Research Institute Receives Grand Challenges Explorations Grant For Groundbreaking Research in Global Health and Development 2New York Blood Center's Research Institute Receives Grand Challenges Explorations Grant For Groundbreaking Research in Global Health and Development 3Learning About Light: Education Outreach Projects Funded in 10 Countries Through First Round of SPIE Grants 2Learning About Light: Education Outreach Projects Funded in 10 Countries Through First Round of SPIE Grants 3Alpha Source, Inc. to Exhibit at the AAMI 2013 Conference and Expo 2
... Integrated Knowledge Center Outside the United States. , ... ... Knowledge Center (DKC) today, 17 months after breaking ground last summer. ... the city’s Genome Valley, the center will be a research hub ...
... York, Nov. 21 Eli Lilly and,Company (NYSE: ... ) today,announced the successful completion of the previously announced tender ... of ImClone at a price of $70.00 per share in ... November 20, 2008. , ...
... New hire brings over 20 years of commercial life sciences ... SAN DIEGO, Nov. 21 Cyntellect, a privately-held life ... analysis and manipulation systems, announced today that it has appointed ... America. Andre will be responsible for the sales of Cyntellect,s ...
Cached Biology Technology:DuPont Opens Research & Development Center in India 2DuPont Opens Research & Development Center in India 3Lilly Completes Cash Tender Offer for ImClone Systems 2Lilly Completes Cash Tender Offer for ImClone Systems 3Cyntellect Appoints Former BD Biosciences Executive Andre Lubarsky as Director of Sales - North America 2
... Lipid adsorption and clarification reagent; ... the purification of antibodies, proteins, nucleic ... has negligible cross-reactivity, and improves downstream ... a solid-phase, non-ionic adsorbent supplied as ...
... Stabilizer is a bovine protein-free alternative to ... aqueous solution that contains non-toxic chemicals in ... 6.6 - 7.2, and does not contain ... activity of antibodies and other biomolecules that ...
... is designed to stabilize the biomolecules ... storage. There are neither animal ... is a convenient 10 times solution ... superior to other traditional lyophilizing additives ...
... The CERTOMAT IS, a true benchtop incubator-shaker, ... shakers. Having a footprint of 540 x ... a large incubation chamber (370 x 505 x ... orbits, the CERTOMAT IS is ideal for shaking ...
Biology Products: