Washington, Mar 29 : In a breakthrough study, researchers have developed a new stem cell therapy that may help in treating hearing impairment.
Deafness typically involves the loss of sensory receptors, called hair cells, for their "tufts" of hair-like protrusions, and their associated neurons.
Led by Dr. Marcelo N. Rivolta of the University of Sheffield, researchers have has successfully isolated human auditory stem cells from foetal cochleae (the auditory portion of the inner ear) and found that they could be differentiated into sensory hair cells and neurons.