KCNJ16 and presbycusis: In the cochlea, Kir5.1 is expressed in type II, IV, and V fibrocytes in the lateral wall (Hibino et al., 2004), and Kcnj16 mRNA as well as Kir5.1 protein decrease with age (Pan et al., 2016), suggesting that Kir5.1 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of age-related hearing loss.