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Abstract: The auditory sensory epithelium in non-mammalian vertebrates can replace lost hair cells by transdifferentiation of supporting cells, but this regenerative ability is lost in the mammalian cochlea. Future cell-based treatment of hearing loss may depend on stem cell transplantation or on transdifferentiation of endogenous cells in the cochlea. For both approaches, identification of cells with stem cell features within the mature cochlea may be useful. Here we use a Nestin-β-gal mouse to examine the presence of Nestin positive cells in the mature auditory epithelium, and determine how overstimulation of the ear impacts these cells. Nestin positive cells were found in the apical turn of the cochlea lateral to the outer hair cell area. This pattern of expression persisted into mature age. The area of Nestin positive cells was increased after the noise lesion. This increase in area coincided with an increase in expression of the Nestin mRNA. The data suggest that cells with potential stem cell features remain in the mature mammalian cochlea, restricted to the apical turn, and that an additional set of signals is necessary to trigger their contribution to cell replacement therapy in the ear. As such, this population of cells could serve to generate cochlear stem cells for research and potential therapy, and may be a target for treatments based on induced transdifferentiation of endogenous cochlear cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mutant alleles of the gene encoding cadherin 23 are associated with Usher syndrome type 1 (USH1D), isolated deafness (DFNB12) in humans, and deafness and circling behavior in waltzer (v) mice. Stereocilia of waltzer mice are disorganized and the kinocilia misplaced, indicating the importance of cadherin 23 for hair bundle development. Cadherin 23 was localized to developing stereocilia and proposed as a component of the tip link. We show that, during development of the inner ear, cadherin 23 is initially detected in centrosomes at E14.5, then along the length of emerging stereocilia, and later becomes concentrated at and subsequently disappears from the tops of stereocilia. In mature vestibular hair bundles, cadherin 23 is present along the kinocilium and in the region of stereocilia¿kinocilium bonds, a pattern conserved in mammals, chicks, and frogs. Cadherin 23 is also present in Reissner''s membrane (RM) throughout development. In homozygous v6J mice, a reported null allele, cadherin 23 was absent from stereocilia, but present in kinocilia, RM, and centrosomes. We reconciled these results by identifying two novel isoforms of Cdh23 unaffected in sequence and expression by the v6J allele. Our results suggest that Cdh23 participation in stereocilia links may be restricted to developing hair bundles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]