Repair of surviving hair cells in the damaged mouse utricle

Abstract

Significance The mammalian utricle shows limited hair cell regeneration despite partial recovery of function. Recovery of vestibular evoked potentials, a measure of utricular function, occurs after utricular hair cell damage in mammals. While previous work has shown limited regeneration in response to damage, most regenerating hair cells are type II with immature-appearing bundles. Whether hair cells that remain (“surviving hair cells”) can self-repair and contribute to functional recovery is unknown. Using lineage tracing, we have characterized surviving hair cells over time and found that they repair bundles, regain innervation, and remain differentiated, and are therefore poised to contribute to the recovery of organ function.