Abstract
Loss of hair cells in mammals including human beings causes permanent hearing loss because the cochlea cannot regenerate hair cells spontaneously. Here we show that the newborn mouse cochleae contain sphere-forming cells that have the capacity for proliferation in culture, differentiating to form cells that express hair cell markers. When treated with epidermal growth factor or basic fibroblast growth factor, the number of spheres formed increases. The sphere cells express genes that are indicative of inner ear progenitor cells. After differentiation, some sphere cells grow a hair cell bundle-like structure that expresses hair cell marker myosin VIIA and espin. The sphere-forming cells being capable of differentiating into hair cell-like cells implies the possibility of using these sphere-forming cells for reconstructing the damaged cochlear hair cells.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / genetics
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Animals
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Animals, Newborn
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Biomarkers / metabolism
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Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / genetics
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Cell Differentiation / drug effects
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Cell Differentiation / physiology
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Cell Lineage
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Cell Proliferation / drug effects
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Cells, Cultured
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Cochlea / cytology*
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Cochlea / growth & development*
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Dyneins / genetics
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / drug effects
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology
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Growth Substances / pharmacology
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Hair Cells, Auditory / cytology*
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Hair Cells, Auditory / drug effects
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Hair Cells, Auditory / growth & development*
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
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LIM-Homeodomain Proteins
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Myosin VIIa
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Myosins / genetics
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Nerve Regeneration / drug effects
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Nerve Regeneration / physiology*
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
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Otx Transcription Factors / genetics
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RNA, Messenger / drug effects
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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Spheroids, Cellular
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Stem Cells / cytology*
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Stem Cells / drug effects
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Stem Cells / physiology
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Transcription Factors
Substances
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Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport
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Biomarkers
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Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
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Growth Substances
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Homeodomain Proteins
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LIM-Homeodomain Proteins
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MYO7A protein, human
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Myo7a protein, mouse
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Myosin VIIa
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Otx Transcription Factors
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Otx2 protein, mouse
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RNA, Messenger
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Transcription Factors
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epsin
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insulin gene enhancer binding protein Isl-1
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Myosins
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Dyneins