Inner-ear supporting and cochlear cells

Inner-ear supporting and cochlear cells constitute the complex cellular architecture of the Organ of Corti, which is responsible for converting mechanical sound vibrations into electrical signals (Wangemann, 2006). Supporting cells, including Deiters', pillar, and Hensen's cells, provide essential metabolic and structural support to the sensory hair cells and are critical for maintaining the ionic environment through potassium recycling (Wan et al., 2013). In the context of regenerative medicine, these cells are primary targets for treating sensorineural hearing loss because they retain a degree of plasticity that can be exploited to regenerate lost hair cells in mammals (McLean et al., 2017). Therapeutic approaches often focus on modulating specific molecular pathways within these cells, such as Notch or Wnt signaling, to trigger transdifferentiation or progenitor cell activation (Schilder et al., 2019). While this entry describes a cellular population rather than a single protein or receptor, it represents the fundamental biological substrate for modern inner-ear drug development and gene therapy (Novartis, 2021).

Other names

Cochlear supporting cellsOrgan of Corti cellsInner ear sensory epitheliumNon-sensory cells of the cochlea

Regenerative strategies involve the pharmacological or genetic modulation of signaling pathways such as Notch, Wnt, and Sonic Hedgehog within supporting cells to induce their proliferation or transdifferentiation into functional sensory hair cells (Schilder et al., 2019). Other mechanisms include otoprotection through the inhibition of apoptotic pathways in hair cells (Sensorion, 2023).