Development of Afferent and Efferent Innervation in the Inner Ear

The goal of this proposal is to obtain a comprehensive picture of how afferent and efferent innervation patterns are set up in the organ of Corti. Using a recently described Insm1 mouse model, in which IHCs are intermingled with OHCs in the outer compartment (oc-IHCs), I will test the hypothesis that there is a hierarchical model of innervation such that hair cell type dictates afferent innervation which in turn determines the type of efferent innervation received (aim 1). Additionally, using a combination of mouse genetics and cochlear explant cultures combined with viral vectors, I will test novel candidate genes for roles in axonal pathfinding and branching in the cochlea (aim 2 and alternative aim 2/future goals). I believe these aims will materially advance our understanding of the neuronal circuits within the ear and ultimately lead to the development new and improved treatments for hearing loss.