Establishment and evaluation of an in vitro auditory pathway model out of neural stem cells

Sensorineural deafness is not only associated with loss of hair cells of the cochlea, also there is degeneration of neuronal structures of the auditory pathway. In recent years, neural stem cells have been found in the spiral ganglion (Liu et al., 2010), in the nucleus cochlearis (Rak et al., 2011) and in the colliculus inferior (IC) (Völker et al., 2019). There are still fundamental questions open. Specially the possible interaction between neural stem cells would be a prerequisite for therapeutic use.

We developed a cell culture setup in which separate propagation of stem cells and following co cultivation as single cells is possible. After a defined time in culture, cells were fixed and stained with specific antibodies against neuronal stemm cells (Nestin and Sox2), neuronal cell types (ß-III tubulin, GFAP and MBP) and synaptic proteins (Synapsin and Synaptophysin). In addition, a functional study via Ca-Imaging was performed.

An interaction of all three neuronal stem cell lines is shown in culture. Neurospheres differentiate in the formed network into all neuronal cell types. Synapse formation could be observed between neuronal differentiated cells. Initial functional studies revealed a neuronal activity.

In summary, co-cultivation of neuronal stem cells from different core areas of the auditory pathway was achieved in this setup an in vitro model of the auditory pathway may provide an opportunity to study neural stem cell types at the molecular and electrophysiological level in the future.

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Publication History

Article published online:
10 June 2020