Reversed tonotopic map of the basilar papilla in Gekko gecko

Abstract

A published model of the frequency responses of different locations on the basilar papilla of the Tokay gecko Gekko gecko (Authier and Manley, 1995. Hear. Res. 82, 1–13) had implied that (a) unlike all other amniotes studied so far, the frequency map is reversed, with the low frequencies at the base and the high frequencies at the apex, and (b) the high-frequency area is split into two parallel-lying hair cell areas covering different frequency ranges. To test these hypotheses, the frequency representation along the basilar papilla of Gekko gecko was studied by recording from single auditory afferent nerve fibers and labelling them iontophoretically with horseradish peroxidase. Successfully labelled fibers covered a range of characteristic frequencies from 0.42 to 4.9 kHz, which extended from 78% to 9% of the total papillar length, as measured from the apex. The termination sites of labelled fibers within the basilar papilla correlated with their characteristic frequency, the lowest frequencies being represented basally, and the highest apically. This confirms the first prediction of the model. The map indicates, however, that one of the two high-frequency papillar regions (the postaxial segment) represents the full high-frequency range, from about 1 to 5 kHz. No functionally identified labelling was achieved in the preaxial segment. Thus the assumptions underlying the proposed model need revision. A good mathematical description of the frequency distribution was given by an exponential regression with a mapping constant in the living state of approximately 0.4 mm/octave.