Will stem cells restore hearing?
Treatment of deafness with stem cells can become a realityBritish scientists have been able to create stem cells with which it will be possible to treat deafness in the future.
According to the BBC, a team of scientists from the University of Sheffield managed to transform embryonic stem cells into hair sensory cells of the inner ear. Now scientists are working on the second stage of the study, during which they intend to find a way to deliver synthesized cells to damaged tissues.
Damage to hair sensory cells is irreversible and causes hearing problems in 10% of people around the world. Embryonic stem cells are able to replace not only damaged hair cells, but also nerve cells, through which signals from hair cells are transmitted to the brain.
If scientists can find a way to deliver new cells to the inner ear and implant them correctly, then the possibility of complete hearing restoration will become a reality. According to Dr. David McAlpin, professor at the University of London College of Medicine and director of the Ear Institute, this is an important achievement for the "iPod generation".