Nestin expression in proliferating cells of cultured human vestibular organs

Objective; In studies of the sensory epithelium of vestibular organs, regeneration of hair cells was observed. Regeneration capability of hair cells may be considered to suggest the presence of endogenous stem cells that could regenerate damaged hair cells in these organs. Therefore, we tried to show that human vestibular sensory epithelium contains cells that display proliferating characteristics in these cultured organs. Materials & Methods; We obtained sensory epithelia of utricle, saccule and 3 semicircular canals from the patient with vestibular schwannoma who underwent tumor removal via translabyrinthine approach. The cells were cultured in a medium with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). Proliferating cells were checked with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and nestin. Results; In the culture media of the macular utriculi, the macular sacculi, and the ampulla of semicircular canal although a very small number, cells showed positive expression of BrdU and nestin. But we could not subculture and differentiate these cells into organ-specific differentiated cells, as hair cells and supporting cells. Conclusion; It is thought that proliferating cells with nestin expression are present in the sensory epithelium of human vestibular organs. Copyright 2005