title: Development and regeneration of hair cells.
abstract: The vertebrate inner ear is derived from the otic placode and undergoes a complicated series of morphogenetic processes to differentiate into an elaborate structure harboring mechanosensory epithelia featuring hair cells, the mechanoreceptors of hearing and balance. Recently, the principal mechanisms producing hair cells and the key molecules involved in their fate determination and differentiation have been gradually unveiled. The in-depth understanding of hair cell development is consequently providing clues to strategies for mammalian hair cell regeneration. Among them, the identification and characterization of progenitor cells for the hair cell lineage, which is just emerging, is of particular interest. Herein, we review the molecular mechanisms of inner ear development with particular focus on perspectives for hair cell regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo University, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozeki
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Senn
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurihara
authors.forename: Kimitaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaga
mesh_terms: D003051:Cochlea / Q000502:physiology; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D006199:Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner / Q000502:physiology; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D013136:Spiral Ganglion / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology