Researchers in Japan have made an exciting discovery using stem cells that could lead to a cure for certain forms of deafness. The findings could restore hearing to children who are born deaf because of a congenital defect.
Scientists have been using stem cells to treat a variety of illnesses, but this is the first time they have used them to grow this particular component of the ear. The team of Japanese scientists was led by Professor Kazusaku Kamiya, a specialist in ear diseases.
The research team used stem cells to grow new cells for the cochlear — the spiral cavity in the inner ear. The cochlear is a hollow, conical chamber of bone that helps to focus sound into the inner ear. It contains tiny hairs that detect sound waves and translates them into electrical impulses which are sent to the brain.
Some children are born with a genetic defect that prevents the hairs within their cochlear from forming correctly. During the research project scientists were able to grow these tiny hair-like cells. The next step is find a way to transplant them successfully into the ears of children born with this genetic defect. Thanks to this latest breakthrough, scientists believe a cure for cochlear-related deafness could be available within five to 10 years.
This genetic defect is caused by a mutation in a gene called Gap Junction Beta 2. It prevents the hairs in the inner ear from growing correctly, causing deafness or hearing loss. It affects about one in a thousand children.
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