All articles tagged with #hair cells
Dr. A. James Hudspeth, a renowned neuroscientist who elucidated how hair cells in the inner ear convert sound vibrations into electrical signals for the brain, passed away at 79 due to glioblastoma. His pioneering work significantly advanced understanding of auditory processes and potential treatments for hearing loss.
Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have discovered that hair cells in the inner ear, crucial for hearing and balance, have the ability to repair themselves after suffering damage caused by loud noises or other forms of stress. Contrary to previous beliefs that these cells are permanently lost, the study found that a protein called XIRP2 plays a key role in sensing and repairing damage to the hair-like structures of the cells. This novel insight could lead to the development of more effective strategies for preventing and treating hearing loss.
Harvard Medical School scientists have developed a drug-like cocktail of different molecules that successfully regenerated hair cells in a mouse model by reprogramming a series of genetic pathways within the inner ear. The researchers hope their novel findings could one day pave the way for clinical trials for a gene therapy that can be administered to people with hearing loss.