Stem Cell Transplantation into the Damaged Mammalian Inner Ear

Below is one of Dr. Douglas A. Cotanche's projects that is ongoing. He is also scheduled for a live chat tonight on stem cells and for the restoration of nerve deafness (sensorineural hearing loss).

Stem Cell Transplantation into the Damaged Mammalian Inner Ear.
PI: Douglas Cotanche, Collaborator: Dr. Mark Parker, Emerson College & Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary. This project focuses on the utilization of stem cells to replace damaged hair cells in the mammalian organ of Corti. We are transplanting mouse and human neural stem cells into the cochleas of sound damaged guinea pigs and have shown that these stem cells migrate throughout the spiral ganglion and into the organ of Corti where they begin to differentiate into tissue-specific cell types to replace those damaged by the sound exposure. We have also been exploring the genetic profiles of these neural stem cells and are developing methods for “priming” the neural stem cells by growing them in culture along with immortalized cochlear cells. We have been able to show that co-culturing the stem cells causes a change in the genes and proteins they express so that they take on the aspects of cochlear progenitor cells. This will enable us to target the stem cells so that they differentiate down specific pathways needed for cells to repair the damaged cochlear sensory epithelium. Eventually we hope to be able to use these stem cells as a therapeutic treatment for sensorineural hearing loss in humans.