A New Crocodile Hypothesis Could Help People With Hearing Loss



Losing your hearing might limit your chances, make you withdraw from social situations, and lead to emotional issues.

a fresh theory regarding crocodile ears.

Globally, more than 1.2 billion people suffer from hearing loss. On the other hand, crocodiles can live up to 70 years and have superb hearing the entire time. The ability of crocodiles to produce new hair cells is one explanation, and a study team from Uppsala University is presently looking at this. Hopefully, folks who suffer hearing loss can benefit from knowing crocodile biology.

"We can observe that the activation of so-called support cells appears to result in the formation of new hair cells, which is related to the fact that crocodiles have specific cell structures that humans don't seem to have. According to Helge Rask-Andersen, professor of experimental otology at Uppsala University and one of the researchers behind the study, which was just published in the journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, "Our hypothesis is that nerves that carry impulses from the brain, so-called efferent nerves, trigger that regrowth.

Hearing loss affects more than a billion people globally, which poses serious challenges for people and frequently reduces their perception of their quality of life. The failure of ear receptors, which is the most frequent cause of hearing loss, is irreversible in humans. However, they might exist in non-mammal animals like crocodiles, which have strong hearing and can survive for up to 70 years.

Crocodile with Hair Cells

This picture displays a crocodile hair cell that has been amplified by about 5000 times. Numerous hairs, also known as cilia, protrude against the porous membrane. Uppsala University, credit

Animals have been shown to quickly replace damaged hair cells in their ears. However, it is unclear exactly how. Crocodiles have keen hearing that is suited for both the surface of the water and the land. One distinguishing feature is that the receptors' sensitivity to various pitches is influenced by the ambient temperature, making it ideal for various types of hazards in various habitats throughout evolution.

Researchers at Uppsala University and the Uppsala University Hospital have recently examined the crocodile ear in this study. Few research teams have ever examined the crocodile's inner ear, and the scientists that conducted this study used electron microscopy and molecular techniques.

Hair Cells are Growing New

Regenerating hair cells (green) may be seen in the photograph traveling from the bottom supporting cells to the sensory surface. There are two types of sensory cells. Uppsala University, credit

The fact that the crocodile's ear secretes tiny cell particles was one intriguing finding. The particles, which resemble exosomes, have the ability to discharge enzymes that either dissolve or create the membrane that the cilia in the ear rub against when sound enters the ear. When sound waves reach the ear, the exosomes create tiny alveoli, or cavities, that make it simpler for the cilia to bend.

"One theory is that this improves hearing and increases sensitivity to sound. In the future, we expect to be able to treat humans with the knowledge we gain about how crocodiles replenish their hair cells, says Helge Rask-Andersen.

Can We Learn From the Crocodile How to Restore Our Hearing? Regeneration in the Auditory Organ in Cuban and African Dwarf Crocodiles (Crocodylus Rhombifer and Osteolaemus Tetraspis). published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology on July 4, 2022, by Hao Li, Karin Staxäng, Monika Hodik, Karl-Gunnar Melkersson, Mathias Rask-Andersen, and Helge Rask-Andersen.

By UPPSALA UNIVERSITY 

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