An influx of calcium ions into the inner hair cell (IHC) activates exocytosis of glutamate from vesicles docked near ribbon structures on the inner face of the plasma membrane (inferred from mouse homologs). Glutamate vesicles of IHCs have Otoferlin (OTOF) rather than a synaptotagmin on their surfaces as a calcium sensitive trigger for fusion with the plasma membrane (inferred from the mouse homolog). Otoferlin interacts with the SNARE proteins STX1A and SNAP25 on the plasma membrane (inferred from mouse homologs). The ribbon structure contains RIBEYE (a splice variant of CTBP2, Schmitz et al. 2000), PICCOLINO (a short variant of PICCOLO, inferred from the mouse homolog), and BASSOON (inferred from the mouse homolog), which links the structure to the plasma membrane, colocalizes calcium channels and vesicles, and promotes replenishment of vesicles (inferred from mouse homologs).