Patent ID: 9157064
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: A61P,C12N,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of screening a candidate agent for an effect on inner ear cells, the method comprising: a. culturing pluripotent stem cells in the presence of an ectoderm rostralizinq factor and at least one factor that suppresses the formation of endoderm and mesoderm thereby producing a population comprising preplacodal ectodermal cells; b. culturing the population comprising preplacodal ectodermal cells under adherent conditions in the presence of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) thereby producing a population comprising otic progenitor cells; c. culturing the population comprising otic progenitor cells under adherent conditions thereby producing inner ear cells; d. contacting the inner ear cells with a candidate agent; and e. comparing the viability, function and/or regenerative response of the inner ear cells contacted with the candidate agent to the viability, function and/or regenerative response of inner ear cells that were not contacted with the candidate agent; wherein a difference in viability, function and/or regenerative response of inner ear cells contacted with the candidate agent compared to inner ear cells that were not contacted with the candidate agent indicates that the candidate agent has an effect on inner ear cells.