Stem cells are currently being used to treat some forms of agerelated macular degeneration (AMD). When...

Stem cells are currently being used to treat some forms of agerelated

macular degeneration (AMD). When placed in the retina,

these unspecialized cells divide and assume the roles of the

damaged retinal cells. How might stem cell therapy be used to treat

damage to other senses, such as noise-related damage to hearing?

What would be some challenges to this approach?

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Expert Solution

Stem cells have got immense application in surgery as far as body related damages are concerned. In case of the human ear, the cells that collect sound information from the environment and send it to the brain are called hair cells. These cells die due to constant exposure to loud noises and eventually the brain cells which carried the signals from these cells to the brain also expire. Stem cells are currently being researched for restoring the hearing capacity in individuals. One of the approaches to this study is growing of stem cells into hair cells in the lab and surgically implanting them into the affected individuals. This method is found to be successful in animals. Another approach is to use these stem cells to discover drugs which have the capacity to regenerate hair cells. Such drugs can then be used on the affected individuals to restore partial hearing.

Some of the challenges in this process are, to determine the best surgical method for cell transplantation and to find ways in which there would be least rejection by the immune system.

gladiator answered 1 year ago

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