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Functional role of SOX2 in inner ear neurosensory development
Dvořáková, Martina ; Pavlínková, Gabriela (advisor) ; Rohlena, Jakub (referee) ; Machoň, Ondřej (referee)
The main functional cells of the inner ear are neurons and sensory cells that are formed from a common embryonic epithelial neurosensory domain. Discovering genes important for specification and differentiation of sensory cells and neurons in the inner ear is a crucial basis for understanding the pathophysiology of hearing loss. Some of these factors are necessary not only for the inner ear but also for the development of other neurosensory systems such as the visual and olfactory system. The aim of this work was to reveal functions of transcription factor SOX2 in inner ear development by using mouse models with different conditional deletions of Sox2 gene. Sox2 gene was deleted by cre-loxP recombination. In Isl1-cre, Sox2 CKO mutant, reduced number of hair cells differentiated only in some inner ear organs (utricle, saccule and cochlear base) and not in others (cristae and cochlear apex). Early forming inner ear neurons in the vestibular ganglion and neurons innervating the cochlear base developed in these mutants but died by apoptosis due to the lack of neurotrophic support from sensory cells. Late forming neurons in the cochlear apex never formed. In Foxg1-cre, Sox2 CKO mutant, only rudimental ear with no sensory cells was formed. The initial formation of vestibular ganglion with peripheral and...
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Molecular mechanisms in transcriptional regulation of neurosensory development
Filová, Iva ; Pavlínková, Gabriela (advisor) ; Tureček, Rostislav (referee) ; Valihrach, Lukáš (referee)
The development, maturation, and viability of inner ear neurosensory cells depend on the spatiotemporal expression of multiple transcriptional factors. Based on three mouse models [Tg(Pax2-Isl1)], Sox2CKO, and Neurod1CKO, this thesis investigates the function of three transcriptional factors ISL1, SOX2 and NEUROD1 in the neurosensory development of the inner ear. The mouse mutant [Tg(Pax2-Isl1)] carries transgenic sequence containing Isl1 gene under Pax2 regulatory sequence in its genome. ISL1 ectopic expression driven by Pax2 regulatory sequence resulted in the enlarged cochleovestibular ganglion and accelerated neurite extension in [Tg(Pax2- Isl1)] embryos. In adult mutants, we detected an early onset of age-related hearing loss correlating with the worsening function of outer hair cells. These changes were associated with the loss of medial olivocochlear efferent neuron fibers innervating outer hair cells. For the first time, we showed that the age-related hearing loss (presbyacusis) might be caused by efferent innervation defects besides hair cell loss and spiral ganglion degeneration. In addition to presbyacusis, [Tg(Pax2-Isl1)] mice suffered from hyperactivity that was diminished by the administration of picrotoxin - channel blocker for GABA receptor chloride channels. This indicates that...
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