| dc.description.abstract | According to the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics released in March 2022,nearly 500 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss. By 2050, this number is expected to grow to around 1 billion due to the rapid development of technology and the gradual improvement of medical standards, which have led to an increase in global life expectancy and an aging society. Hearing decline is the most rapid among human sensory organs, and severe cases can affect the ability to socialize, necessitating the immediate proposal of effective treatment plans. Hearing loss symptoms can be divided into three main categories: conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and mixed hearing loss.
Sensorineural hearing loss is the most prevalent, accounting for about 80% of cases. Possible causes include long-term exposure to high-decibel noise, use of ototoxic drugs, genetics, aging, and viruses, which can damage the inner ear hair cells. Damage to these cells in mammals is usually irreversible. Current treatments include the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants to maintain basic hearing functions, while pharmaceutical treatments are still undergoing clinical trials and cannot yet be practically applied to hearing loss treatment. This study will explore three main aspects: three-dimensional cochlear cell maturation in dynamic and static environments, image reconstruction and 3D printing of a bionic cochlea,
and the development of a novel in vitro cochlear model.
In the first part, the focus is on cell culture experiments. This research uses newborn mice (P0-P2) as the main subjects. Literature indicates that cochlear cells of newborn mammals possess regenerative abilities, which typically diminish rapidly with age, disappearing within three days to a week after birth. Therefore, we aim to extract cochlear cells with regenerative capabilities and use bio-3D printing technology to mix these cells into
bio-ink for printing, providing a three-dimensional culture environment. We will add appropriate culture media, EFICVP6, to promote cell proliferation, and differentiation reagent
LYC for cochlear cell maturation, successfully differentiating new hair cells in vitro. The second part focuses on cochlear image reconstruction. The internal structure of the cochlea is relatively complex, and currently, there is no complete in vitro cochlear model.
Clinical experiments often use pigs or mice as practice subjects, but significant differences exist in individual and cochlear microstructures. During surgery, it is challenging for physicians to confirm the actual position of the cochlear implant and whether it causes internal cochlear damage, affecting the accuracy and safety of inner ear treatments. Therefore, this study aims to create a new in vitro cochlear model through image reconstruction
combined with 3D printing, improving surgical accuracy and safety. The third part will integrate the first two parts, focusing on cochlear and cochlear implant image reconstruction. The main goal is to provide otologists with a more complete surgical practice model. Additionally, we aim to load therapeutic drugs for inner ear treatment
onto the cochlear implant. Subsequently, the drug-loaded cochlear implant will be inserted to simulate the surgical insertion process. This approach serves as a drug screening model for inner ear treatment and provides a more comprehensive research plan for future hearing loss
treatment research. | en_US |