The auditory system detects and encodes sound information with high precision to provide a high-fidelity representation of the environment and communication. In mammals, detection occurs in the peripheral sensory organ (the cochlea) containing specialized mechanosensory cells (hair cells) that initiate the conversion of sound-generated vibrations into action potentials in the auditory nerve. Neural activity in the auditory nerve encodes information regarding the intensity and frequency of sound stimuli, which is transmitted to the auditory cortex through the ascending neural pathways. Glial cells are critical for precise control of neural conduction and synaptic transmission throughout the pathway, allowing for the precise detection of the timing, frequency, and intensity of sound signals, including the sub-millisecond temporal fidelity is necessary for tasks such as sound localization, and in humans, for processing complex sounds including speech and music. In this review, we focus on glia and glia-like cells that interact with hair cells and neurons in the ascending auditory pathway and contribute to the development, maintenance, and modulation of neural circuits and transmission in the auditory system. We also discuss the molecular mechanisms of these interactions, their impact on hearing and on auditory dysfunction associated with pathologies of each cell type.

中文翻译：

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上行听觉系统中轴突与神经胶质细胞的相互作用


听觉系统高精度地检测和编码声音信息，以提供环境和通信的高保真表示。在哺乳动物中，检测发生在含有特殊机械感觉细胞（毛细胞）的外周感觉器官（耳蜗）中，这些细胞启动将声音产生的振动转化为听觉神经中的动作电位。听觉神经中的神经活动编码有关声音刺激的强度和频率的信息，这些信息通过上行神经通路传输到听觉皮层。神经胶质细胞对于精确控制整个通路中的神经传导和突触传递至关重要，可以精确检测声音信号的时间、频率和强度，包括亚毫秒时间保真度，这对于诸如声音定位、在人类中，用于处理复杂的声音，包括语音和音乐。在这篇综述中，我们重点关注神经胶质细胞和神经胶质样细胞，它们与上行听觉通路中的毛细胞和神经元相互作用，并有助于听觉系统中神经回路和传输的发育、维持和调节。我们还讨论了这些相互作用的分子机制，它们对听力和与每种细胞类型病理相关的听觉功能障碍的影响。