Open AccessConcise Review: Regeneration in Mammalian Cochlea Hair Cells: Help from Supporting Cells Transdifferentiation
Author(s) -
Franco Bénédicte,
Malgrange Brigitte
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1002/stem.2554
Subject(s) - transdifferentiation , biology , regeneration (biology) , hair cell , microbiology and biotechnology , cochlea , progenitor cell , stem cell , anatomy
Abstract It is commonly assumed that mammalian cochlear cells do not regenerate. Therefore, if hair cells are lost following an injury, no recovery could occur. However, during the first postnatal week, mice harbor some progenitor cells that retain the ability to give rise to new hair cells. These progenitor cells are in fact supporting cells. Upon hair cells loss, those cells are able to generate new hair cells both by direct transdifferentiation or following cell cycle re‐entry and differentiation. However, this property of supporting cells is progressively lost after birth. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms that are involved in mammalian hair cell development and regeneration. Manipulating pathways used during development constitute good candidates for inducing hair cell regeneration after injury. Despite these promising studies, there is still no evidence for a recovery following hair cells loss in adult mammals. S tem C ells 2017;35:551–556