393
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
J.A. Sisneros (ed.), Fish Hearing and Bioacoustics, Advances in Experimental
Medicine and Biology 877, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-21059-9_17
Causes and Consequences of Sensory Hair
Cell Damage and Recovery in Fishes
Michael E. Smith and J. David Monroe
Abstract Sensory hair cells are the mechanotransductive receptors that detect
gravity, sound, and vibration in all vertebrates. Damage to these sensitive receptors
often results in defi cits in vestibular function and hearing. There are currently two
main reasons for studying the process of hair cell loss in fi shes. First, fi shes, like
other non-mammalian vertebrates, have the ability to regenerate hair cells that have
been damaged or lost via exposure to ototoxic chemicals or acoustic overstimulation.
Thus, they are used as a biomedical model to understand the process of hair cell
death and regeneration and fi nd therapeutics that treat or prevent human hearing loss.
Secondly, scientists and governmental natural resource managers are concerned
about the potential effects of intense anthropogenic sounds on aquatic organisms,
including fi shes. Dr. Arthur N. Popper and his students, postdocs and research associates have performed pioneering experiments in both of these lines of fi sh hearing
research. This review will discuss the current knowledge regarding the causes and
consequences of both lateral line and inner ear hair cell damage in teleost fi shes.
Keywords Acoustic trauma • Anthropogenic sound • Fish • Hair cell • Hearing loss
• Inner ear • Lateral line • Ototoxicity • Regeneration
1 Introduction
Hearing and balance and their dysfunction are studied much more in mammals than
in other vertebrate taxa. This is because hearing research has obvious implications
for human health, and mammalian models present many structural and physiological similarities to the human auditory and vestibular systems. Recently, however,
there has been considerable interest in studying sensory hair cell and hearing loss in
fi shes. Two foci of this research are: (1) the study of sensory hair cell development
and regeneration in fi shes to fi nd therapeutics for human deafness, and (2) the investigation of how anthropogenic sound sources affect fi shes. In the former, hair cell
dysfunction is congenital or is induced via exposure to ototoxic chemicals or
M. E. Smith (*) • J. D. Monroe
Department of Biology , Western Kentucky University , Bowling Green , KY 42101 , USA
e-mail: michael.smith1@wku.edu; jerry.monroe@wku.edu
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
J.A. Sisneros (ed.), Fish Hearing and Bioacoustics, Advances in Experimental
Medicine and Biology 877, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-21059-9_17
Causes and Consequences of Sensory Hair
Cell Damage and Recovery in Fishes
Michael E. Smith and J. David Monroe
Abstract Sensory hair cells are the mechanotransductive receptors that detect
gravity, sound, and vibration in all vertebrates. Damage to these sensitive receptors
often results in defi cits in vestibular function and hearing. There are currently two
main reasons for studying the process of hair cell loss in fi shes. First, fi shes, like
other non-mammalian vertebrates, have the ability to regenerate hair cells that have
been damaged or lost via exposure to ototoxic chemicals or acoustic overstimulation.
Thus, they are used as a biomedical model to understand the process of hair cell
death and regeneration and fi nd therapeutics that treat or prevent human hearing loss.
Secondly, scientists and governmental natural resource managers are concerned
about the potential effects of intense anthropogenic sounds on aquatic organisms,
including fi shes. Dr. Arthur N. Popper and his students, postdocs and research associates have performed pioneering experiments in both of these lines of fi sh hearing
research. This review will discuss the current knowledge regarding the causes and
consequences of both lateral line and inner ear hair cell damage in teleost fi shes.
Keywords Acoustic trauma • Anthropogenic sound • Fish • Hair cell • Hearing loss
• Inner ear • Lateral line • Ototoxicity • Regeneration
1 Introduction
Hearing and balance and their dysfunction are studied much more in mammals than
in other vertebrate taxa. This is because hearing research has obvious implications
for human health, and mammalian models present many structural and physiological similarities to the human auditory and vestibular systems. Recently, however,
there has been considerable interest in studying sensory hair cell and hearing loss in
fi shes. Two foci of this research are: (1) the study of sensory hair cell development
and regeneration in fi shes to fi nd therapeutics for human deafness, and (2) the investigation of how anthropogenic sound sources affect fi shes. In the former, hair cell
dysfunction is congenital or is induced via exposure to ototoxic chemicals or
M. E. Smith (*) • J. D. Monroe
Department of Biology , Western Kentucky University , Bowling Green , KY 42101 , USA
e-mail: michael.smith1@wku.edu; jerry.monroe@wku.edu