Elucidation of inner ear development mechanisms and its application to regenerative medicine

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23229009
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Ito Juichi 京都大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 名誉教授 (90176339)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAKAGAWA Takayuki 京都大学, 大学院医学研究科, 講師 (50335270) ; TAURA Akiko 京都大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (70515345) ; YAMAMOTO Norio 京都大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (70378644) ; SAKAMOTO Tatsunori 京都大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (60425626) ; KITAJIRI Shinichiro 京都大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (00532970) ; HIRAUMI Harukazu 京都大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (10374167)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 内耳 / 幹細胞 / 再生 / 発生 / 成長因子 / シグナル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

After many kinds of experiments to elucidate the mechanisms of mammalian cochlear development and to apply these to the regeneration of inner ears, we have gotten following achievements. 1. Identification of the stem cell population location within the cochlea; 2. Identification of novel candidate genes important for the cochlear development; 3. Usefulness of Notch signal inhibition and IGF1 for the achievement of regenerative medicine of the inner ear; 4. Improvement of induction protocol of iPS cells to inner ear hair cells.
We believe that the combination of these achievements will lead us to the successful regeneration of mammalian inner ears to treat sensorineural hearing loss, which has been considered intractable.

Free Research Field

耳鼻咽喉科学