Stem cell based therapy to restore nearly normal hearing

作者：Krishna K Ananda; Rao K R S Sambasiva^*

来源：Indian Journal of Biotechnology, 2008, 7(2): 178-182.

• stem cells
• hair cell
• cochlea

Hair cells with stereocilia are the sensory receptors of the inner ear that are located in the organ of corti of the cochlea, involved in detecting sound, and are connected with the nerve fibers that stretch from the inner ear to the brain. These hair cells convert sound information to electric signals, which are then sent to the higher brain centers. In humans, hair cell damage results in permanent hearing impairment; whereas, birds have the capacity to rebuild a damaged inner ear and various studies have demonstrated hair cell regeneration. Recently, stem cell research has triggered many programmes around the world to examine the possibility for regenerating the hair cells from embryonic/adult stem cells. The important spin-off of the research would be to find signaling mechanisms that regulate hair cell regeneration to restore nearly normal hearing in humans. The current review focuses on stem cell-based therapy with particular emphasis to summarize the recent progress.

• 出版日期2008-4