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Updated: Aug 24, 2026
In Ovo and Ex Ovo Methods to Study Avian Inner Ear Development
Published on: June 16, 2022
[The patterns of cell proliferation in the chick basilar papilla following severe acoustic trauma]
1Department of Otolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
Insights
Following acoustic trauma, chick cochlea shows cell regeneration. Supporting cells in the basilar papilla may generate new hair cells after noise damage.
Area of Science:
- Ototoxicity research
- Auditory system regeneration
- Cellular biology
Context:
- Severe acoustic trauma damages hair cells in the chick basilar papilla (BP).
- Understanding cellular responses to noise-induced hearing loss is crucial.
- Identifying precursor cells for hair cell regeneration is a key research area.
Purpose:
- To investigate cell proliferation characteristics in the chick basilar papilla (BP) after acoustic trauma.
- To determine the origin of precursor cells capable of generating new hair cells.
- To examine the regenerative potential of the avian auditory epithelium.
Summary:
- Chicks exposed to intense pure tones showed cell proliferation in damaged BP regions.
- Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling identified cells in S phase 48 hours post-exposure.
- Both hair cells and supporting cells were labeled, indicating supporting cells may act as precursors for new hair cells.
Impact:
- This study suggests auditory epithelial cells can regenerate in chick cochlea post-acoustic trauma.
- Supporting cells are identified as potential precursors for new hair cell generation under pathological conditions.
- Findings contribute to understanding mechanisms of hearing restoration and therapeutic targets for hearing loss.
Objective:
To investigate the characteristics of cell proliferation in chick basilar papilla (BP) following severe acoustic trauma, and the orgin of precursor cell that can generate into new hair cell.
Method:
Chicks were continuously exposed to a 1.5 kHz pure tone at 120 dB SPL for 48 h, and they were intraperitoneally injected with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) at 40 h, 48 h after the onset of exposure. Then, cochlea were immunocytochemically labeled to detect BrdU, and examined the cell proliferative activity in BP.
Result:
1. Labeled cells presented in the mid-proximal region of BP where hair cells have been damaged and lost following noise overstimulation; 2. The most cells in S phase were detected at 48 h after the onset of exposure; and 3. Both labeled hair cells and supporting cells can be seen in BP; In addition, the supporting cells may act as precursor cells that can generate into new hair cells.
Conclusion:
These findings suggest that auditory epithelial cells can be regenerated in chick cochlea after acoustic trauma, even though ongoing production of hair cells don't occur in BP, and supporting cells may be a source of newly generated hair cells under pathological conditions.
