About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Biological Materials Science
|
| Presentation Title |
Tonotopic and Spatial Regulation of Cochlear Bone Microstructure by Osteocytes |
| Author(s) |
Yoshihiro Obata, Christoforos Meliadis, Pupa Gilbert, Tamara Alliston, Claire Acevedo |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Claire Acevedo |
| Abstract Scope |
Cochlear bone supports hearing but resists change without osteoblast-osteoclast remodeling. To explore how this tissue adapts structurally, we analyzed cochleae from 10 C57BL/6 mice using high-resolution synchrotron microCT to quantify tissue mineral density (TMD) and osteocyte lacunar morphology.
We found significantly higher TMD in the basal turn and inner cortex across all regions, suggesting a stiffness gradient aligned with the cochlea’s frequency mapping. Osteocyte lacunae were smaller and rounder in these regions, features typically linked to lower matrix turnover.
These findings point to localized, osteocyte-driven matrix regulation of cochlear bone quality along the tonotopic axis. Even in the absence of classical remodeling, cochlear bone displays regional specialization in stiffness and microstructure, likely optimizing sound transmission. This study highlights the cochlea as a model for osteocytic adaptation in hard tissues and suggests that targeting osteocyte-mediated pathways could offer novel strategies for treating hearing loss associated with skeletal disorders. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Characterization, Mechanical Properties, |