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- David Furness
My main research interests lie in the field of auditory neuroscience. I am presently investigating the role of fibrocytes in the cochlea. These are cells that are associated with homeostatic mechanisms that regulate the composition of cochlear fluids. These cells appear to go wrong in certain forms of deafness, including age-related deafness (presbyacusis). My group has funding from Deafness Research UK to investigate whether a stem cell/replacement cell strategy might be employed to prevent or ameliorate age-related deafness by replacing defective fibrocytes.
The main techniques we employ are electron microscope, post-embedding immunogold electron microscopy, confocal microscopy and cell culturing. We have received funding for our work from the Wellcome Trust, MRC, Deafness Research UK, Midlands Institute of Otology, Royal Society, Physiological Society, British Tinnitus Association and others.
Another of my major research interests is cochlear hair cell structure, composition and function. I am focussing on the hair bundle and how the hairs (stereocilia - see picture) function to convert mechanical action from sound stimulation into electrical signals and nerve impulses in nerve fibres going to the brain.
I am also director of the Keele University Electron Microscope Unit which offers a range of microscopy facilities.
For some examples of our electron microscopy please visit the galleries on the EM Unit web pages:
Selected Publications
Full Publications List show
Journal Articles
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2011. QUANTIFICATION AND LOCALIZATION OF THE EAAC1 GLUTAMATE TRANSPORTER IN BRAIN. GLIA, vol. 59, S66. link>
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2011. Eps8 regulates hair bundle length and functional maturation of mammalian auditory hair cells. PLoS Biol, vol. 9(4), e1001048. link> doi> full text>
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2011. Mutations in protocadherin 15 and cadherin 23 affect tip links and mechanotransduction in mammalian sensory hair cells. PLoS One, vol. 6(4), e19183. link> doi> full text>
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2010. Abstracts of the british society of audiology short papers meeting on experimental studies of hearing and deafness. Int J Audiol, vol. 49(9), 672-722. doi>
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2010. Rapid, learning-induced inhibitory synaptogenesis in murine barrel field. J Neurosci, vol. 30(3), 1176-1184. link> doi> full text>
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2007. Abstracts of the British Society of Audiology short papers meeting on experimental studies of hearing and deafness September 2006, Cambridge University, UK. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AUDIOLOGY, vol. 46(10), 619-658. link>
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2003. Comparative distribution of glutamate transporters and receptors in relation to afferent innervation density in the mammalian cochlea. J Neurosci, vol. 23(36), 11296-11304. link>
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2004. Synaptic distribution of glutamate transporters. Journal of Neurochemistry (Suppl)..
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2002. Distribution of the Glutamate/Aspartate Transporter GLAST in Relation to the Afferent Synapses of Outer Hair Cells in the Guinea Pig Cochlea. Journal of the Association for research in Otolaryngology, vol. 3(3), 234-247. doi>
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2002. An immunogold investigation of the distribution of calmodulin in the apex of cochlear hair cells. Hearing Research, vol. 173(1-2), 10-20. doi>
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2001. Roles of glutamate transporters in the brain. JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, vol. 78, 115. link>
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2000. The distribution of the calcium buffer calbindin in the cochlea of the guinea-pig. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci, vol. 25(6), 570-576. link>
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2000. Distribution of tropomyosin in guinea-pig cochlear hair cells. JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON, vol. 527, 92P-93P. link>
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1998. Supporting cell processes at the base of cochlear inner hair cells label for the glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST). EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, vol. 10, 285. link>
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1998. Evidence for opening of hair-cell transducer channels after tip-link loss. J Neurosci, vol. 18(17), 6748-6756. link>
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1997. The effects of lowering extracellular [Ca2+] on the structure of the stereociliary bundle of turtle cochlear hair cells. JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON, vol. 504P, P131. link>
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1995. A COMPARISON OF THE IMMUNOLABELING PATTERNS WITH ANTIBODIES TO KERATAN SULFATE AND ELASTIN IN GUINEA-PIG COCHLEA HAIR BUNDLES. JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON, vol. 485P, P32-P33. link>
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1995. FIELD-EMISSION SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY OF COCHLEAR HAIR-CELLS - TIP LINKS, LATERAL LINKS AND TIP JUNCTIONS ON STEREOCILIA. JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON, vol. 485P, P2. link>
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1995. MECHANOTRANSDUCTION CHANNELS ON COCHLEAR HAIR-CELLS COULD BE OPERATED BY SHEAR DISPLACEMENT. JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON, vol. 485P, P16-P17. link>
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1995. Mechanotransduction in vertebrate hair cells: structure and function of the stereociliary bundle. Am J Physiol, vol. 268(1 Pt 1), C1-13. link>
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1993. THE FUNCTIONAL-MORPHOLOGY OF STEREOCILIARY BUNDLES ON COCHLEAR HAIR-CELLS OF THE TURTLE. JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON, vol. 467, P352. link>
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1992. BINDING OF A POLYCLONAL ANTIBODY RAISED AGAINST AN AMILORIDE-SENSITIVE NA+ CHANNEL TO GUINEA-PIG COCHLEAR HAIR-CELLS INVITRO IS REDUCED BY DRUGS KNOWN TO AFFECT MECHANOELECTRICAL TRANSDUCTION. JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON, vol. 446, P113. link>
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1991. Localisation of putative mechanoelectrical transducer channels in cochlear hair cells by immunoelectron microscopy. Scanning Microsc, vol. 5(3), 741-745. link>
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1991. LOCALIZATION OF PUTATIVE MECHANOELECTRICAL TRANSDUCER CHANNELS IN COCHLEAR HAIR-CELLS BY IMMUNOELECTRON MICROSCOPY. SCANNING MICROSCOPY, vol. 5(3), 741-746. link>
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1991. ANTIBODIES TO AMILORIDE-SENSITIVE SODIUM-CHANNELS REVEAL THE POSSIBLE LOCATION OF THE MECHANOELECTRICAL TRANSDUCER CHANNELS IN GUINEA-PIG COCHLEAR HAIR-CELLS. JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON, vol. 438, P124. link>
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1988. Are the stereociliary tip linkages on outer hair cells in the guinea pig cochlea sensitive to chronic application of kanamycin?. Hear Res, vol. 35(2-3), 279-283. link>
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1988. Stereociliary cross-links between adjacent inner hair cells. Hear Res, vol. 34(2), 207-211. link>
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1986. Morphological changes to the stereociliary bundles in the guinea pig cochlea after kanamycin treatment. Br J Audiol, vol. 20(4), 253-259. link>
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1986. Intercellular cross-linkages between the stereociliary bundles of adjacent hair cells in the guinea pig cochlea. Cell Tissue Res, vol. 245(3), 685-688. link>
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1984. MORPHOGENETIC ASPECT OF ASEXUAL DIVISION IN EUDIPLODINIUM-MAGGII. JOURNAL OF PROTOZOOLOGY, vol. 31(4), A45. link>
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1984. MORPHOLOGY OF THE ORAL-REGION IN RUMEN CILIATES. JOURNAL OF PROTOZOOLOGY, vol. 31(4), A45. link>
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1983. ULTRASTRUCTURAL ASPECTS OF ASEXUAL DIVISION IN EUDIPLODINIUM-MAGGII. JOURNAL OF PROTOZOOLOGY, vol. 30(3), A37. link>
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1982. THE STRUCTURE AND MORPHOLOGY OF SHEEP RUMEN CILIATES. JOURNAL OF PROTOZOOLOGY, vol. 29(2), 322. link>
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1982. ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE RUMEN CILIATE EPIDINIUM-CAUDATUM. JOURNAL OF PROTOZOOLOGY, vol. 29(4), 636-637. link>
Chapters
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2002. Hearing and Balance:The vestibular system. In Signals and Perception:The Fundamentals of Human Sensation. Roberts D (Ed.). Palgrave MacMillan, Basingstoke.
Other
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2006. Glutamate transporters around synapses. JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY (vol. 96, p. 87). link>
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2004. Comparative uptake of FM1-43 and methylene blue by developing auditory hair cells. British Society of Audiology Short Papers Meetings Abstracts.
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2004. The Effect of Mild Hair-Cell damage and Long-Term Hair-Cell Loss on the Expressoin of the Glutamate Transporter GLAST in the Cochlea. Association for Research in Otolaryngology.
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2004. Tonotopic Differences in Synaptic Release as Measured by Membrane Capacitance Changes in Hair Cells from the Turtle Auditory Papilla. Association for Research in Otolaryngology.
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2003. An investigation of the cochleotopic distributions of GLAST, VGLUT1 and GluR4 in the guinea pig organ of Corti using immuncytochemistry. Abstracts of the 26th Midwinter meeting of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology.
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2003. The relative distribution of $BETA$ and $gamma$-actin isoforms in the guinea-pig organ of Corti.
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2001. Distribution of the Glutamate/Aspartate Transporter GLAST in Relation to the Afferent Synapses of Outer Hair Cells in the Guinea Pig Cochlea. Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology. doi>
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2002. Confocal imaging of alpha-bungarotoxin-tagged acetylcholine receptors in outer hair cells. International Journal of Audiology.
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2002. Factors influencing the distribution of the glutamate-aspartate transporter, GLAST, in the mammalian cochlea. International Journal of Audiology.
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2002. Immunocytochemical investigations of the distribution of calcium buffers in the basilar papilla of the turtle. International Journal of Audiology.
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2002. Immunocytochemical investigations of the distribution of calcium buffers in the basilar papilla of the turtle. International Journal of Audiology.
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2002. Putative cellular targets in autoimmune inner ear disease caused by ulcerative colitis. International Journal of Audiology.
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2001. An immunocytochemical analysis of collagen IV within the mammalian inner ear. British Journal of Audiology.
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2001. Comparative distribution of the glutamate-aspartate transporter GLAST in apical and basal turns of the CD-1 mouse cochlea. British Journal of Audiology.
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2001. The influence of external calcium concentration on the acetylcholine receptor current in mammalian outer hair cells. British Journal of Audiology.
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2000. Regeneration of the mammalian vestibular sensory epithelium following gentamicin-induced damage. J Otolaryngol (vol. 29, pp. 351-360). link>
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2000. Physiological and anatomical investigation of acetylcholine receptor localization in mammalian cochlear outer hair cells. BRITISH JOURNAL OF AUDIOLOGY (vol. 34, pp. 81-82). link>
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2000. The distribution of calmodulin in cochlear hair cells after exposure to high or low extracellular calcium. BRITISH JOURNAL OF AUDIOLOGY (vol. 34, p. 80). link>
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2000. The distribution of collagen IV in the mammalian utricle. BRITISH JOURNAL OF AUDIOLOGY (vol. 34, pp. 82-83). link>
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2000. The composition of linkages between stereocilia. PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN AUDITORY MECHANICS (pp. 302-306). link>
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1997. Immunocytochemical localization of the high affinity glutamate/aspartate transporter, GLAST, in the rat and guinea-pig cochlea. BRITISH JOURNAL OF AUDIOLOGY (vol. 31, pp. 120-121). link>
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1997. Localization of beta-cytoplasmic actin in guinea pig organ of Corti using post-embedding immunogold labelling. BRITISH JOURNAL OF AUDIOLOGY (vol. 31, pp. 74-75). link>
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1997. Localization of cadherin in guinea-pig organ of Corti using post-embedding immunogold labelling. BRITISH JOURNAL OF AUDIOLOGY (vol. 31, pp. 73-74). link>
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1990. Comparative ultrastructure of subsurface cisternae in inner and outer hair cells of the guinea pig cochlea. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol (vol. 247, pp. 12-15). link>
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1990. STRUCTURAL ABNORMALITIES IN INNER HAIR-CELLS FOLLOWING KANAMYCIN-INDUCED OUTER HAIR CELL LOSS. MECHANICS AND BIOPHYSICS OF HEARING (vol. 87, pp. 10-17). link>

