Newly discovered hair cells on squid may offer clues to understanding hearing loss in humans
Scientists have known for years that squid have cells with bundles of tiny, hairlike protrusions on their heads and arms, similar to those buried deep inside the human ear that allow us to hear.
Scientists have known for years that squid have cells with bundles of tiny, hairlike protrusions on their heads and arms, similar to those buried deep inside the human ear that allow us to hear.
The short version
- Now, researchers at Case Western Reserve University have discovered that these animals have hundreds more of these cells, called hair cells, lining the entire surface of their bodies.
- The discovery may provide researchers with an unprecedented window into how humans use—and lose—their hearing.
- This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies .
What happened
The findings appear in the current issue of Current Biology and include the first full-body mapping of lateral lines on squid, which are made up of arrays of hair cells. McDermott's team, including Case Western Reserve graduate and undergraduate students, conducted part of its research at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, as part of a three-year fellowship program to study how squid hear.
Why it matters
Carsten Wolff, associate director of Imaging Service and imaging scholar at MBL, worked with the CWRU team.
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