Coupling a Sensory Hair-Cell Bundle to Cyber Clones Enhances Nonlinear Amplification

Abstract

The vertebrate ear benefits from nonlinear amplification of mechanical vibrations by sensory hair cells to operate over a vast range of sound intensities. Hair cells are each endowed with a hair bundle which can oscillate spontaneously and function as a frequency-selective, nonlinear amplifier. Intrinsic fluctuations, however, jostle the response of a single hair bundle to weak stimuli and seriously limit amplification. We report that a hair bundle can effectively reduce noise and enhance amplification by teaming-up with other hair bundles.