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Mathematical Biology seminar
Kim Montgomery
Northwestern University
"A Nonlinear Analysis of the Amplification Properties of Auditory Hair Cells"
Friday, February 6, 2004
3:05 pm LCB 225
A mathematical model describing the coupling between two independent
amplification mechanisms in auditory hair cells is proposed and
analyzed. Hair cells are cells in the inner ear responsible for
translating sound-induced mechanical stimuli into an electrical signal
that can then be carried away by the auditory nerve. In nonmammals,
two separate mechanisms have been postulated to contribute to the
amplification and tuning properties of the hair cells. Interestingly,
models of each of these mechanisms have been shown to be poised near a
Hopf bifurcation. Through a weakly nonlinear analysis assuming weak
forcing, weak damping, and weak coupling we reduce physiologically
based ODE models of the two mechanisms to a system of two coupled
bifurcation equations. We then discuss the predictions of the reduced
equations, compare these predictions with experimental data, and
discuss performance benefits due to the coupling of the two
mechanisms.
For more information contact J. Keener, 1-6089
E-mail:
keener@math.utah.edu
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