NIDCD-Funded Researchers Cook Up First Recipe for Functional Hair Cells from Stem Cells

Hair cells, the tiny sensory cells located in the cochlea of the inner ear that turn sound vibrations into electrical signals, are among the most scarce cells in the body. Each ear shelters fewer than 15,000 of them, and once they are damaged or die, there are no others to take their place. Unlike birds and fish, humans don't have the ability to grow new hair cells if some are lost due to disease, drugs, or long-term exposure to noise. Unfortunately, the loss of just a thousand is enough to make a noticeable difference in how well we hear.

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