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A dual-organ genetic interplay between sensorineural hearing loss and kidney disease: an update for clinicians
Jayakumar Swetha1, Mani Nirmala Meenu2, Irisappan Ganesh2
1Department of Biochemistry, Aarupadai Veedu Medical College & Hospital, Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation (DU), Puducherry, India.
Insights
Hearing loss and chronic kidney disease share common genetic and developmental pathways, affecting both the ear and kidney. Understanding the ear-kidney axis is crucial for diagnosing and treating these prevalent oto-renal disorders.
Area of Science:
- Oto-renal medicine
- Nephrology
- Audiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Hearing loss (HL) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are globally prevalent conditions.
- Oto-renal disorders link syndromic HL and kidney dysfunction via shared molecular pathways.
- Common genetic factors, developmental pathways, and physiological mechanisms impact auditory and kidney systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- Consolidate common morphogenic origins of kidney and cochlea.
- Focus on shared genes, networks, and oto-renal disorders affecting cilia, collagen, and transport channels.
- Highlight mechanisms and pathophysiology of congenital HL and kidney diseases.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on oto-renal disorders.
- Analysis of shared genetic factors and developmental pathways.
- Examination of physiological mechanisms impacting auditory and kidney systems.
Main Results:
- Identified shared molecular signaling pathways in oto-renal disorders.
- Highlighted the role of cilia, collagen networks, and transport channels in both systems.
- Recognized hemodialysis and certain drugs as risk factors for HL in CKD patients.
Conclusions:
- An interdisciplinary approach is vital for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of oto-renal disorders.
- Future research on the ear-kidney axis is needed for molecular understanding and clinical management.
- Clinicians can use this review for differential diagnosis of oto-renal conditions.
Abstract:
Hearing loss (HL) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are conditions with high prevalence worldwide. Patients with oto-renal disorders are reported to have both syndromic forms of HL and kidney dysfunction due to common molecular signaling pathways. The major shared genetic factors, common developmental pathways, and physiological mechanisms adversely affect the auditory and kidney systems. This review consolidates the common morphogenic origins of the kidney and the cochlea, which focus on the major shared genes, networks, and oto-renal disorders that affect the cilia, collagen networks, and transport channels in both systems. This article shines a spotlight on mechanisms and pathophysiology of the major congenital disorders causing HL and kidney diseases. In addition to this, other risk factors including hemodialysis and certain drugs increase the risk of HL in patients with CKD. This review can help clinicians navigate options for differential diagnosis of oto-renal disorders. An interdisciplinary approach across nephrologists, audiologists, pediatricians, and geneticists can pave the way for effective screening, diagnosis, and treatment interventions. This also underscores the importance of future research on the ear-kidney axis to understand molecular signaling, biomarker discovery, and clinical management.
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