title: Characterization of proliferating cells from newborn mouse cochleae.
abstract: Loss of hair cells in mammals including human beings causes permanent hearing loss because the cochlea cannot regenerate hair cells spontaneously. Here we show that the newborn mouse cochleae contain sphere-forming cells that have the capacity for proliferation in culture, differentiating to form cells that express hair cell markers. When treated with epidermal growth factor or basic fibroblast growth factor, the number of spheres formed increases. The sphere cells express genes that are indicative of inner ear progenitor cells. After differentiation, some sphere cells grow a hair cell bundle-like structure that expresses hair cell marker myosin VIIA and espin. The sphere-forming cells being capable of differentiating into hair cell-like cells implies the possibility of using these sphere-forming cells for reconstructing the damaged cochlear hair cells.
authors.affiliation: Otology Skull Base Surgery Department, Hearing Research Institute, Eye and ENT Hospital of Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China. entwzm@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Zhengmin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hongqun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yongbing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yucheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yunzheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Huawei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019070:Cell Lineage; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003051:Cochlea / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D004398:Dyneins / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D000081412:Myosin VIIa; D009218:Myosins / Q000235:genetics; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051857:Otx Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport; D015415:Biomarkers; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; C000631455:MYO7A protein, human; C000631456:Myo7a protein, mouse; D000081412:Myosin VIIa; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051857:Otx Transcription Factors; C497660:Otx2 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; C114154:epsin; C063843:insulin gene enhancer binding protein Isl-1; D009218:Myosins; D004398:Dyneins