# Competence of support cells to form hair cells in the mammalian inner ear

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2020 · $436,433

## Abstract

Summary/Abstract
In humans, loss of the hair cells in the inner ear leads to hearing and balance impairment, since these cells do
not regenerate. By contrast, in non-mammalian vertebrates, like birds and fish, damaged auditory hair cells are
regenerated very efficiently from the surrounding supporting cells. The ability of support cells to give rise to hair
cells through transdifferentiation was first demonstrated by Corwin in the amphibian lateral line, by direct
observation using time-lapse imaging, but more indirect methods also found a similar process to occur in bird
basilar papilla. These results together suggest that the problem of hair cell regeneration in the inner ear of the
mammal can be summarized in two fundamental questions: (1) What causes the loss in proliferation of support
cells following damage and (2) what limits the transdifferentiation of the support cells to new hair cells? In this
grant application we aim to study what are the factors that limit regeneration in the vestibular system of the
mammal. We will use various transgenic strains to activate pathways that may lead to stimulation of hair cell
regeneration. We will specifically direct our studies towards the crista (the sensory regions at the base of the
three semicircular canals) that detect head rotation in the three ordinal planes. As the population ages balance
disorders become more prevalent and this organ is particularly important for maintaining gaze. The cristae
have been understudied at the molecular level to date and we have recently developed a culture method and
are using advanced molecular techniques to elucidate changes in the competence of crista support cells to
generate hair cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9914231
- **Project number:** 5R01DC017126-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Olivia Mary Bermingham-McDonogh
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $436,433
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-15 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9914231

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9914231, Competence of support cells to form hair cells in the mammalian inner ear (5R01DC017126-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9914231. Licensed CC0.

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