This article reviews the importance of the round-window membrane in exposing the labyrinth to or protecting it from the toxic effects of otitis media. Characteristics of the immune system in the human middle ear and middle-ear mechanisms against bacteria are explained. The role of bacteria and bacterial products in inner-ear damage is detailed, and related pathological events are described. The...

The inner ear in rats is ectodermally derived. It appears as a placode on day 8 of a 22-day gestational period. In the developing inner ear most of the cells undergo terminal mitosis between gestational days 13 and 15. During this critical period of development exposure to toxic substances may result in malformations of the adult inner ear. To test this hypothesis, rat fetuses were exposed to 5...

Hair cell fate determination in the inner ear has been shown to be controlled by specific genes. Recent loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments have demonstrated that Math1, a mouse homolog of the Drosophila gene atonal, is essential for the production of hair cells. To identify genes that may interact with Math1 and inhibit hair cell differentiation, we have focused on Hes1, a mammal...

HYPOTHESIS The middle ear contains homeostatic mechanisms that control the movement of ions and fluids similar to those present in the inner ear, and are altered during inflammation. BACKGROUND The normal middle ear cavity is fluid-free and air-filled to allow for effective sound transmission. Within the inner ear, the regulation of fluid and ion movement is essential for normal auditory and ...

BACKGROUND Tuberculin testing remains the standard method for assessing infection due to tuberculosis in the UK. However, there are no data on the incidence of tuberculin positivity among the general adult population in the UK and consequently interpretation of Heaf test results is often difficult. METHODS During the investigation of an outbreak of tuberculosis in a Liverpool social club 198 ...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) act as key regulators in neuronal development, synaptic morphogenesis and plasticity. However, their role in the neuronal differentiation of inner ear neural stem cells (NSCs) remains unclear. In this study, 6 miRNAs were selected and their expression patterns during the neuronal differentiation of inner ear NSCs were examined by RT-qPCR. We demonstrated that the cult...

Introduction On New Year's Eve and Year, fireworks, alcohol consumption noise exposure lead to numerous emergency consultations that largely affect ear, nose throat medicine. These mainly include inner ear damage bone fractures.

Nanoparticles are promising therapeutic options for inner ear disease. In this report, we review in vivo animal studies in the otologic field using nanoparticles over the past 5 years. Many studies have used nanoparticles to deliver drugs, genes, and growth factors, and functional and morphological changes have been observed. The constituents of nanoparticles are also diversifying into various ...

Cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase, two important enzymes involved in arachidonic acid metabolism, are major targets of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Recent investigations suggest that arachidonic cascades and their metabolites may be involved in maintaining inner ear functions. The excessive use of aspirin may cause tinnitus in humans and impairment of the outer hair cell functi...

Gbx2 is a homeobox-containing transcription factor that is related to unplugged in Drosophila. In mice, Gbx2 and Otx2 negatively regulate each other to establish the mid-hindbrain boundary in the neural tube. Here, we show that Gbx2 is required for the development of the mouse inner ear. Absence of the endolymphatic duct and swelling of the membranous labyrinth are common features in Gbx2-/- in...