Research may give way to possible cure for hearing loss

Stem cells taken from mice are suggesting the possible treatment of many types of deafness and hearing loss.

The experiment, done with two types of stem cells, raises the possibility of treating many types of deafness and hearing loss. The research has to do with generating stereocilia, which are cells in the inner ear have hair-like projections. When sound vibrations reach these cells, the vibrations are converted into a signal that can be processed in the brain as sound. But when these hair cells are lost or damaged, they cannot regenerate, resulting in hearing loss.

The researchers hope to generate stereocilia in the millions, which could lead to leaps and bounds on the road to curing deafness for many in the future, according to their report in the May 14 issue of the journal Cell.

"This gives us real hope that there might be some kind of therapy for regenerating hair cells," David Corey, professor of neurobiology at Harvard University, said in a news release from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

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