RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Lamellar junctions in the endolymphatic sac act as a relief valve to regulate inner ear pressure
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 143826
DO 10.1101/143826
A1 Ian A. Swinburne
A1 Kishore R. Mosaliganti
A1 Srigokul Upadhyayula
A1 Tsung-Li Liu
A1 David G. C. Hildebrand
A1 Tony Y.-C. Tsai
A1 Anzhi Chen
A1 Ebaa Al-Obeidi
A1 Anna K. Fass
A1 Samir Malhotra
A1 Florian Engert
A1 Jeff W. Lichtman
A1 Tom Kirchhausen
A1 Eric Betzig
A1 Sean G. Megason
YR 2017
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/05/30/143826.abstract
AB The inner ear is a fluid-filled closed-epithelial structure whose normal function requires maintenance of an internal hydrostatic pressure and fluid composition by unknown mechanisms. The endolymphatic sac (ES) is a dead-end epithelial tube connected to the inner ear. ES defects can cause distended ear tissue, a pathology often seen in hearing and balance disorders. Using live imaging of zebrafish larvae, we reveal that the ES undergoes cycles of slow pressure-driven inflation followed by rapid deflation every 1-3 hours. Using serial-section electron microscopy and adaptive optics lattice light-sheet microscopy, we find a pressure relief valve in the ES comprised of thin overlapping basal lamellae that dynamically extend over neighboring cells before rupturing under pressure leading to ES collapse. The unexpected discovery of a physical relief valve in the ear emphasizes the need for further study into how organs control fluid pressure, volume, flow, and ion homeostasis in development and disease.