Aim: Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in humans, its main cause being the loss of cochlear hair cells. We studied the potential of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to differentiate towards hair cells and auditory neurons.
Materials & Methods: hMSCs were first differentiated to neural progenitors and subsequently to hair cell- or auditory neuron-like cells using in vitro culture methods.
Results: Differentiation of hMSCs to an intermediate neural progenitor stage was critical for obtaining inner ear sensory lineages. hMSCs generated hair cell-like cells only when neural progenitors derived from nonadherent hMSC cultures grown in serum-free medium were exposed to EGF and retinoic acid. Auditory neuron-like cells were obtained when treated with retinoic acid, and in the presence of defined growth factor combinations containing Sonic Hedgehog.
Conclusion: The results show the potential of hMSCs to give rise to inner ear sensory cells.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.2217/rme.12.65 | DOI Listing |
Exp Brain Res
December 2024
Motor Behavior and Adapted Physical Activity Laboratory, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Imperceptible noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS) improves standing balance due to the presence of stochastic resonance (SR). There is, however, a lack of consensus regarding the optimal levels and type of noise used to elicit SR like dynamics. We aimed to confirm the presence of SR behavior in the vestibular system of young healthy adults by examining postural responses to increasing amplitudes of white and pink noise stimulation scaled to individual cutaneous perceptual threshold.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChemosphere
December 2024
Department of Life Science, School of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address:
Acidification of freshwater due to human activities is a widespread environmental problem. Its effects on the sensorimotor responses of fish, particularly during embryonic stages, may affect population fitness. To address this, zebrafish embryos were exposed to water at pH 7, 5 and 4.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHear Res
December 2024
Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States. Electronic address:
Auditory-nerve fibers (ANFs) from a given cochlear region can vary in threshold sensitivity by up to 60 dB, corresponding to a 1000-fold difference in stimulus level, although each fiber innervates a single inner hair cell (IHC) via a single synapse. ANFs with high-thresholds also have low spontaneous rates (SRs) and synapse on the side of the IHC closer to the modiolus, whereas the low-threshold, high-SR fibers synapse on the side closer to the pillar cells. Prior biophysical work has identified modiolar-pillar differences in both pre- and post-synaptic properties, but a comprehensive explanation for the wide range of sensitivities remains elusive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Primatol
January 2025
Anthropology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
The study of primate auditory morphology is a significant area of interest for comparative anatomists, given the phylogenetic relationships that link primate hearing and the morphology of these auditory structures. Extensive literature addresses the form-to-function relationship of the auditory system (outer, middle, and inner ear) in primates and, by extension, provides insight into the auditory system of extinct primates and even modern humans. We add to this literature by describing the ontogenetic trajectory of the middle ear cavity and ossicular chain (malleus, incus, and stapes) due to their critical role in relaying auditory stimuli for interpretation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
November 2024
Radiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, USA.
Based on the available literature, duplicated internal auditory canals (DIACs) represent an exceedingly rare temporal bone anomaly that can result in sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in the pediatric population. Often associated with a hypoplastic or aplastic cochlear nerve, DIAC poses limitations on treatment options, such as cochlear implants, for affected patients. Accurate diagnosis and optimal management necessitate a thorough assessment of inner ear structures and potential neural abnormalities with high-resolution computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the temporal bones.
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