Generation of human inner ear prosensory-like cells via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

AIM: To identify human hair cell progenitors from adult inner ear sensory epithelium. MATERIALS & METHODS: We collected discarded utricles from translabyrinthine surgery and isolated human utricular sensory epithelial cells (HUCs) to explore whether they can proliferate and obtain features of stem/progenitor cells in vitro using reverse transcription PCR and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: When cultured in vitro, HUCs expressed genes and proteins that are usually present in prosensory cells and stem cells. Additionally, dissociated HUCs expanded on the substrates and presented properties of mesenchymal cells via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. CONCLUSION: The results reveal that sensory epithelial cells from the adult human inner ear can re-enter the cell cycle and adopt a stem/progenitor cell fate. The outcomes of this study may open avenues for human hair cell progenitor generation, which could potentially provide a novel stem cell-based replacement for hearing loss and other inner ear disorders.