Posted by The cochlea is the sensory organ responsible for hearing. Central to its sensory functions is the organ of Corti, a specialized structure that contains sensory cells and supporting cells. Outer hair cells (OHCs) amplify vibrations of the basilar membrane, while inner hair cells (IHCs) convert these mechanical signals into neural impulses. These sensory cells are vulnerable to a range of pathological conditions, including acoustic trauma, ototoxicity, age-related degeneration, and genetic abnormalities. In mammals, the inability of sensory cells to regenerate results in irreversible hearing loss upon their demise. Consequently, substantial research has focused on the mechanisms behind sensory cell death and survival.
HPBCD was used to induce cochlear damage. HPBCD is well-known about exhibiting ototoxic effects when administered in higher doses. Different supporting cell populations were found to display varying levels of vulnerability to ototoxicity.
Dalian Ding, Guang Di Chen, Celia Zhang, Mengxiao Ye, Henry J. Adler, Rania Sharaf, Kayla Naldrett, Tanisi Mittal, Bo Hua Hu (2025) Supporting cell involvement in cochlear damage and repair: Novel insights from a quantitative analysis of cyclodextrin-induced ototoxicity in mice. Hearing Research 459, 109201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heares.2025.109201.
Featured image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlear_duct