For the First Time, Scientists Keep a Mammalian Cochlea Alive Outside the Body
9 hours ago
- #biophysics
- #hearing-research
- #cochlea
- Researchers sustained a piece of cochlear tissue outside the body for the first time, enabling direct study of hearing mechanics.
- A. James Hudspeth and his team at The Rockefeller University achieved this milestone shortly before his death in August 2025.
- The cochlea's sensitivity, frequency detection, and sound level processing were observed in real time using a custom device.
- The study confirms the Hopf bifurcation principle in mammalian hearing, previously documented in non-vertebrates like bullfrogs.
- The research used gerbil cochlea tissue, maintained in a controlled environment to mimic natural conditions.
- Key findings include the role of ion channels in sound amplification and outer hair cell electromotility.
- The breakthrough could lead to new treatments for hearing loss by allowing targeted pharmacological studies.
- No drugs currently exist to restore hearing in sensorineural loss, highlighting the importance of this research.