Exploring a novel role of neural crest during otic vesicle morphogenesis

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The inner ear contains sensory epithelia that detect head movements, gravity and sound. Only recently some researchers have reached a moderate success in developing sensory epithelia from pluripotent stem cells by culturing inner ear stem cells in a 3D environment. It has been assumed that a 3D environment can mimic some of the properties present during normal embryo develop and that are required for stem cell establishment and proper differentiation. During normal development the inner ear is formed from a flat piece of tissue that is transformed by unknown mechanisms into a ball of cells with an internal cavity, called otic vesicle. Later this otic vesicle will give rise to all derivatives of the inner ear. The aim of this project is to generate a cellular, molecular and biomechanical explanation of how the otic vesicle is formed during normal development. In addition we will use this information to generate otic vesicles in vitro, which will allow understanding the intimate details of this complex morphogenetic process. This project will lay the foundations for future research concerning the generation of inner ear stem cells in vitro, essential for modelling inner ear disorders or developing cell-based therapies for profound hearing loss and balance disorders.