Hearing relies on faithful synaptic transmission at the ribbon synapse of cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs). At present, the function of presynaptic ribbons at these synapses is still largely unknown. Here we show that anchoring of IHC ribbons is impaired in mouse mutants for the presynaptic scaffolding protein Bassoon. The lack of active-zone-anchored synaptic ribbons reduced the presynaptic readily releasable vesicle pool, and impaired synchronous auditory signalling as revealed by recordings of exocytic IHC capacitance changes and sound-evoked activation of spiral ganglion neurons. Both exocytosis of the hair cell releasable vesicle pool and the number of synchronously activated spiral ganglion neurons co-varied with the number of anchored ribbons during development. Interestingly, ribbon-deficient IHCs were still capable of sustained exocytosis with normal Ca2+-dependence. Endocytic membrane retrieval was intact, but an accumulation of tubular and cisternal membrane profiles was observed in ribbon-deficient IHCs. We conclude that ribbon-dependent synchronous release of multiple vesicles at the hair cell afferent synapse is essential for normal hearing.

Hearing relies on faithful sound coding at hair cell ribbon synapses, which use Ca 2ϩ -triggered glutamate release to signal with submillisecond precision. Here, we investigated stimulus-secretion coupling at mammalian inner hair cell (IHC) synapses to explore the mechanisms underlying this high temporal fidelity.

Summary At the presynaptic active zone, Ca2+ influx triggers fusion of synaptic vesicles. It is not well understood how Ca2+-channel clustering and synaptic vesicle docking are organized. Here we studied structure and function of hair cell ribbon synapses following genetic disruption of the presynaptic scaffold protein Bassoon. Mutant synapses - mostly lacking the ribbon - showed a reduction in membrane-proximal vesicles, with ribbonless synapses affected more than ribbon-occupied synapses. Ca2+-channels were also fewer at mutant synapses and appeared in abnormally shaped clusters. Ribbon absence reduced Ca2+-channel numbers at mutant and wild-type synapses. Fast and sustained exocytosis were reduced notwithstanding normal coupling of the remaining Ca2+-channels to exocytosis. In-vitro recordings revealed a slight impairment of vesicle replenishment. Mechanistic modeling of the in-vivo data independently supported morphological and functional in-vitro findings. We conclude that Bassoon and the ribbon (1) create a large number of release sites by organizing Ca2+-channels and vesicles, and (2) promote vesicle replenishment.

Cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) transmit acoustic information to spiral ganglion neurons through ribbon synapses. Here we have used morphological and physiological techniques to ask whether synaptic mechanisms differ along the tonotopic axis and within IHCs in the mouse cochlea. We show that the number of ribbon synapses per IHC peaks where the cochlea is most sensitive to sound. Exocytosis, measured as membrane capacitance changes, scaled with synapse number when comparing apical and midcochlear IHCs. Synapses were distributed in the subnuclear portion of IHCs. High-resolution imaging of IHC synapses provided insights into presynaptic Ca(2+) channel clusters and Ca(2+) signals, synaptic ribbons and postsynaptic glutamate receptor clusters and revealed subtle differences in their average properties along the tonotopic axis. However, we observed substantial variability for presynaptic Ca(2+) signals, even within individual IHCs, providing a candidate presynaptic mechanism for the divergent dynamics of spiral ganglion neuron spiking.