 Hair cells of the inner ear are highly sensitive to changes in mitochondria, the subcellular organelles responsible for energy production in eukaryotic cells. Over 30 mitochondrial deafness genes have been identified, and mitochondria are implicated in hair cell death following noise exposure, aminoglycoside antibiotic exposure, and age-related hearing loss. Little is known about the basic aspects of hair cell mitochondrial biology, however. Using zebrafish lateral line hair cells as a model, researchers have observed a unique mitochondrial phenotype consisting of multiple small mitochondria at the apical end and a reticular network at the basal end. This phenotype develops gradually over the lifetime of the hair cell, and disruption of this phenotype leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and deafness. Additionally, hair cells require both mechanical stimulation and synaptic transmission to form these mitochondrial networks. Taken together, these findings suggest that hair cells play a critical role in regulating their mitochondria for optimal physiological function. This article was authored by Andrea McQuate, Shaman Connect, and David W. Rayable. We are article.tv, links in the description below.