Stem cells restore hearing in deaf gerbils

In a new study, scientists were able to restore partial hearing to deaf gerbils by implanting human embryonic stem cells in their ears. The breakthrough offers hope that one day a similar treatment may be developed to cure hearing loss in humans.

One cause of hearing loss is auditory neuropathy, the impairment of auditory neurons that normally transmit sound signals from the ear to the brain. Researchers at the University of Sheffield in the UK sought to restore hearing in 18 gerbils whose auditory nerves had been experimentally damaged, by replacing the nerves with new ones derived from human embryonic stem cells.

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View the original article here: Can You Hear Me Now? Stem Cells Restore Hearing In Deaf Gerbils – When … – Singularity Hub