Ó Maoiléidigh’s Study Reveals 3D Morphology’s Impact on Outer Hair Cell Displacement
Damage to outer-hair-cell bundles in our inner ear causes hearing loss. However, these bundles are difficult to repair because we lack basic information on how they work. In this paper, we build a 3D mathematical model of an outer-hair-cell bundle, which explains nine different experimental observations. The model makes several predictions, including the prediction that the 3D structure of these bundles increases the range of sound levels that we can hear.