What is it about?
In this paper, potential gene therapy methods and stem cell applications in the acquisition of cochlear function, which causes sensorineural hearing loss, and the difficulties encountered in these applications are compiled from a bioengineering perspective.
Featured Image
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Although sensorineural hearing loss, also known as permanent hearing loss, is treated with hearing aids and cochlear implants, treatment methods are limited. Since even the best implant cannot exhibit the characteristics of the original ear, the permanent sensory deficit will be permanent. For this reason, it has become essential to develop regenerative treatment methods to regenerate and replace lost or damaged hair cells and neurons.
Perspectives
Developments in stem cell technology have led to promising studies in regenerating damaged/lost hair cells or neurons with endogenous or exogenous cell-based therapies. Epigenetic mechanisms can turn hearing-related genes on and off and determine which proteins to copy. In addition, due to gene silencing, gene replacement, and CRISPR/CAS9 technology, gene therapy methods have accelerated, and studies have been carried out to treat dominant and recessive mutations that cause genetic-induced hearing loss or increase hair cell regeneration.
Kübra Kelleci
Beykoz University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Regenerative Therapy Approaches and Encountered Problems in Sensorineural
Hearing Loss, Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy, February 2023, Bentham Science Publishers,
DOI: 10.2174/1574888x17666220429121714.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page