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Effects of Antibiotics on the Hair Cells of the Inner Ear

Guy Richardson and Prof. Ian Russell (Biology Dept.)

Under the direction of Prof. Ian Russell, the Hearing Research Group within Biology are investigating many aspects of the mechanisms of hearing and hearing defects. One part of this programme is the development of cochlear culture to identify and characterise proteins involved in hair-cell transduction and the mechanisms of drug-induced ototoxicity. An example of the latter is the investigation of the effects of cis-platin on the hair cells of the inner ear. This drug is commonly used as a chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of cancer, but may give rise to hearing defects. The morphological changes in the hair cells upon administration of this drug are monitored by scanning electron microscopy (mainly of cultured whole cochlear samples). The images below show the appearance of (1) a whole (cultured) apical cochlea; (2) and (3) healthy hair cells with their associated hair bundles; and (4) cis-platin-treated hair cells showing the 'blistered' appearance of the cell bodies.