Notch inhibition induces mitotically generated hair cells in mammalian cochleae via activating the Wnt pathway.

ABSTRACT: The activation of cochlear progenitor cells is a promising approach for hair cell (HC) regeneration and hearing recovery. The mechanisms underlying the initiation of proliferation of postnatal cochlear progenitor cells and their transdifferentiation to HCs remain to be determined. We show that Notch inhibition initiates proliferation of supporting cells (SCs) and mitotic regeneration of HCs in neonatal mouse cochlea in vivo and in vitro. Through lineage tracing, we identify that a majority of the proliferating SCs and mitotic-generated HCs induced by Notch inhibition are derived from the Wnt-responsive leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5(+)) progenitor cells. We demonstrate that Notch inhibition removes the brakes on the canonical Wnt signaling and promotes Lg

SUBMITTER: Li W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4291673 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature