Regeneration of hair cells in the vestibulocochlear system of birds and mammals.
Regeneration of hair cells leads to a structural and functional recovery in the mature avian vestibular and auditory sensory epithelia. This regeneration replaces hair cells that have been lost as a result of noise damage, ototoxic drug poisoning, or other trauma. Recent findings suggest that it may be possible to induce a similar mechanism for repair in the vestibular and auditory epithelia of mammals, including humans.