Inner ear protection and regeneration: a 'historical' perspective.
OBJECTIVE
In evaluating strategies to preserve or regenerate the cochlea, understanding the process of labyrinthine injury on a cellular and molecular level is crucial. Examination of inner ear injury reveals mechanism-specific types of damage, often at specific areas within the cochlea. Site-specific interventions can then be considered.


RESULTS
The review will briefly summarize the historical perspective of advancements in hearing science through 2006. Areas of research covered include hair cell protection, hair cell regeneration, spiral ganglion cell regeneration, and stria vascularis metabolic regulation.


CONCLUSIONS
The review will briefly summarize the early development of a few such site-specific interventions for inner ear functional rehabilitation, for work done prior to 2006. The outstanding reviews of cutting edge research from this year's and last year's Hearing Science section of Current Opinion in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery can then be understood and appreciated in a more informed manner.
Diaz
Rodney C
RC
Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California 95817, USA. rcdiaz@ucdavis.edu
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000502:physiology; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000293:injuries*; D000518:Eflornithine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006199:Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D013136:Spiral Ganglion / Q000166:cytology
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9; D000518:Eflornithine