Researchers restore hearing in deaf gerbils with stem cells, say it’s the first step in restoring human hearing

TORONTO Researchers have restored the ability to hear in deaf gerbils using implanted human embryonic stem cells, achieving what they call a first step in potentially overcoming some causes of hearing loss in people.

While more study is needed to ensure the technique is safe for humans, principal researcher Dr. Marcelo Rivolta of the University of Sheffield said the work shows that stem cells can indeed regenerate nerve cells needed for hearing.

It is early days, but we believe this is a substantial step forward because what we have here is the proof of concept that we can use human stem cells derived from human embryonic stem cells to repair the ear, Rivolta said from Sheffield, England.

The researchers describe their work in a paper published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

The progenitor cells implanted in the gerbils were produced in the lab from a line of human embryonic stem cells approved for use in research.

Embryonic stem cells give rise to virtually all tissue types in the body, from the various organs to neurons to skin. Progenitor cells generated from the stem cells have been manipulated to produce only certain kinds of cells.

These otic progenitors differentiate into cells with the same properties as hair cells and auditory neurons, which are critical for sensing sound.

Hair cells, located in the spiral-shaped cochlea in the inner ear, amplify and transform sound vibrations into electrical signals, which are then relayed via the auditory nerve to the brain stem.

While the researchers were able to use neurons to repair the auditory nerve in the gerbils, hair cells are more challenging to deal with, said Rivolta. We dont have a very good surgical technique to deliver the cells into the specific place that we need to.

Damage to the hair cells which can be caused by genetic disorders, prolonged exposure to high-decibel noise and infections like bacterial meningitis can lead to partial or profound hearing loss.

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Researchers restore hearing in deaf gerbils with stem cells, say it’s the first step in restoring human hearing