Download Slide () - Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

From: Biotechnology in the Treatment of Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Foundations and Future of Hair Cell
Regeneration
J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2011;54(6):1709-1731. doi:10.1044/1092-4388(2011/10-0149)
Legend:
Gross anatomy of the mammalian cochlea. Panel A: The cochlea is composed of many cell types, including bone (purple), ligament, sensory
epithelia, and nerve that enables communication between the sensory epithelia and the brain. Panel B: Close-up of the sensory epithelium
(boxed region in Panel A) illustrates the organ of Corti, which consists of inner and outer hair cells and their corresponding supporting cells. Hair
cells are responsible for transducing the mechanical motion of the basilar membrane into neural impulses that can be interpreted as sound by
the brain. The supporting cells act to provide structural
and ©
nutritional
support
for hair cells and, possibly, act as hair cell progenitors as well.
Copyright
American
Speech-LanguagePanel
C:
Ototoxic
damage,
such
as
exposure
to
noise
or
aminoglycoside
antibiotics,
results in hair cell loss and subsequent hearing loss. In
Date of download: 5/4/2017
Hearing Association
some instances, the supporting cells remain intact after damage and may act as a target for gene therapy. Panel D: It is also possible for