Human stem cells restore hearing in gerbil study – Wed, 12 Sep 2012 PST

September 12, 2012 in Health

Malcolm Ritter Associated Press

Marcelo Rivolta photo

This undated photo provided by Nature shows cells in the inner ear of a deaf gerbil. The yellow ones are nerve cells derived from human embryonic cells. These cells improved the hearing of the gerbils, in an experiment that may someday help human patients. Results of the work, done in gerbils, were reported online Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012 in the journal Nature by a team led by Dr. Marcelo Rivolta of the University of Sheffield inEngland. (Full-size photo)

NEW YORK (AP) For the first time, scientists have improved hearing in deaf animals by using human embryonic stem cells, an encouraging step for someday treating people with certain hearingdisorders.

Its a dynamite study (and) a significant leap forward, said one expert familiar with the work, Dr. Lawrence Lustig of the University of California, SanFrancisco.

The experiment involved an uncommon form of deafness, one that affects fewer than 1 percent to perhaps 15 percent of hearing-impaired people. And the treatment wouldnt necessarily apply to all cases of that disorder. Scientists hope the approach can be expanded to help with more common forms of deafness. But in any case, it will be years before human patients mightbenefit.

Results of the work, done in gerbils, were reported online Wednesday in the journal Nature by a team led by Dr. Marcelo Rivolta of the University of Sheffield inEngland.

To make the gerbils deaf in one ear, scientists killed nerve cells that transmit information from the ear to the brain. The experiment was aimed at replacing thosecells.

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Human stem cells restore hearing in gerbil study - Wed, 12 Sep 2012 PST