For hearing: inner ear stereocilia (cochlear hair cells) do not naturally regenerate in mammals, which is why 80% of centenarians suffer from profound presbycusis, directly triggering social isolation and accelerated cognitive dementia. The clinical pipeline is advancing: small-molecule Notch signaling inhibitors and ATOH1 gene therapy vectors delivered via intratympanic injection induce localized Lgr5+ supporting cells to transdifferentiate into functional sensory hair cells, restoring acoustic dynamic range without clumsy external hardware.
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