In vivo generation of immature inner hair cells in neonatal mouse cochleae by ectopic Atoh1 expression.

ABSTRACT: Regeneration of auditory hair cells (HCs) is a promising approach to restore hearing. Recent studies have demonstrated that induced pluripotent stem cells/embryonic stem cells or supporting cells (SCs) adjacent to HCs can be converted to adopt the HC fate. However, little is known about whether new HCs are characteristic of outer or inner HCs. Here, we showed in vivo conversion of 2 subtypes of SCs, inner border cells (IBs) and inner phalangeal cells (IPhs), to the inner HC (IHC) fate. This was achieved by ectopically activating Atoh1, a transcription factor necessary for HC fate, in IBs/IPhs at birth. Atoh1+ IBs/IPhs first turned on Pou4f3, another HC transcription factor, before expressing 8 HC markers. The conversion rate gradually increased from ∼ 2.4% at 1 week of age to ∼ 17.8% in ad

SUBMITTER: Liu Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3930725 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature