The research suggests that reprogramming with multiple transcription factors is better able to access the hair cell differentiation gene regulatory network, but that additional interventions may be necessary to produce mature and fully functional hair cells.
Cochlear Organoids Reveal HIC1’s Role in Hair Cell Differentiation
Emerging Research Grants scientist Dunia Abdul-Aziz, M.D., of Harvard Medical School and Mass Eye and Ear coauthored a study that reveals how the gene Atoh1 in the cochlea can be repressed by the protein HIC1, inhibiting hair cell differentiation. It also demonstrates the power of combining the organoid model with the genetic toolkit to study key regulators of hair cell differentiation, which may help advance the understanding of hair cell development and regeneration.
A Common Ancestor for Cells Involved in Hearing and Touch
The sensory cells in the inner ear and the touch receptors in the skin actually have a lot in common, according to a new study from the University of Southern California (USC) Stem Cell laboratory of Neil Segil, Ph.D., published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences.