Stem Cells May Be Key To Deafness Cure
Researchers Say They Can Grow Into The Hair Cells That Allow Us To Hear
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Play CBS Video Video Breakthrough In Hearing Loss A team of scientists at Stanford University believe that stem cells have the capacity to help cure deafness. Elizabeth Kaledin reports on this groundbreaking discovery.
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Video A Blind-Deaf Trailblazer One day people who have lost both their hearing and sight will face no boundaries in communicating with others. As Michelle Miller reports, a tech-savvy innovator is leading the way.
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Video Stem Cells May Cure Deafness Only On The Web: Stefan Heller, a scientist from Stanford University, discuses how stem cells may help cure deafness. CBS News' Elizabeth Kaledin reports.
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Interactive Stem Cell Research Follow the debate, and learn how and why the cells are harvested.
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Heller and his entire team were recruited away from Harvard, and they've made a breakthrough discovery: They've found that stem cells have the capacity to regenerate in the inner ear.
The stem cells are especially good at growing into the microscopic hair cells that make hearing possible.
"It's like a little microphone in your ear," Heller says of the hair cells, "and when the microphones go bad, then you don't hear anymore. We can grow these tiny microphones from these stem cells."
Heller and his colleagues have figured out how to inject stem cells into the ears of mouse embryos and watch them grow. Their next step is to try it in live mice.
"I hope that in five years, we are at a point that we can say that it is possible to cure deafness, at least in an animal," Heller says. "That will be the first step toward treating human patients."
There are an estimated 28 million Americans who are deaf or hard of hearing. Many of them get by with hearing aids and surgically implanted cochlear implants. But Heller and his team believe that stem cells have the potential to eliminate even the best technology we have.
"So what you're saying is if we can restore something to its natural state, why not?" asks Kaledin.
"Why not," responds Heller. "Exactly."
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."





All my Best Wishes, Jan
Call your representatives in Washington and ask them to do something about Bush's stem cell veto.
- by vjoshick August 8, 2006 10:05 AM EDT
- My husband was born deaf and want to know where he can sign up to have to stem cells put into his ears. He is 55 years-old and want to fear before he dies. please help him. I you have any information please email me at mvsjoshick@yahoo.com
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