Strategies for replacing lost cochlear hair cells.
The auditory sensory epithelium is a mosaic composed of sensory (hair) cells and several types of non-sensory (supporting) cells. All these cells are highly differentiated in their structure and function. Mosaic epithelia (and other complex tissues) are generally formed by differentiation of distinct and specialized cell types from common progenitors. Most types of epithelial tissues maintain a population of undifferentiated (basal) cells which facilitate turnover (renewal) and repair, but this is not the case for the organ of Corti in the cochlea. Therefore, when cochlear hair cells are lost they cannot be replaced. Consequently, sensorineural hearing loss is permanent. In designing therapy for sensorineural deafness, the most important task is to find a way to generate new cochlear hair cells to replace lost cells.
Minoda
Ryosei
R
Kresge Hearing Research Institute, The University of Michigan Medical School, MSRB III Room-9303, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0648, USA.
Izumikawa
Masahiko
M
Kawamoto
Kohei
K
Raphael
Yehoash
Y
D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D003051:Cochlea; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000637:transplantation; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C500943:Atoh1 protein, mouse