Yayoi S. Kikkawa, M.D., Ph.D.
The Research
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Molecular and morphological analysis of protocadherin 15 in vestibular stereocilia development
Stereocilia of the inner ear hair cells are micro-scale mechanosensors which convert mechanical forces into electrochemical signals and its precise integrity is critical for hearing and balance. However, the molecular mechanism that regulates stereocilia integrity is not well understood. This proposal focuses on a cadherin-like protein, protocadherin 15 (Pcdh15). Mutations in human Pcdh15 cause Usher syndrome (USH type 1F), the leading cause of combined hearing and vision loss. The molecular characterization of Pcdh15 will lay the foundation for therapeutic strategies not only for Usher syndrome but also for other inner ear disorders associated with abnormalities of hair cell transduction.