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.
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.