Patients with hearing loss could now be treated with sea anemones as scientists have found they are able to repair damage to the inner ear.
Sea anemone are covered in hair bundles that have similar properties to the human inner ear; sensitive to vibrations, they can detect prey moving nearby.
These hair cells are covered in a cocktail of proteins, which allow anemone to regenerate their bodies after trauma – they are able to rebuild as much as half of their body mass in as little as eight minutes.
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Lead researcher Glen Watson from the University of Louisiana said: “It occurred to me that if any animal could recover from damage to its hair bundles, anemones would be the ones.”
Watson took the “regenerative” protein cocktail sample from the sea creature and attached these cultured cells to the inner ear – cochlear - of mice for up to an hour.
The results, which were published in the journal of Experimental Biology, found that hair cells of mice “recovered significantly” after the application of the proteins.
Watson said: “The sea anemone proteins had repaired the damaged mouse cells.”
After these positive results, the team then searched the mouse genome for examples of the crucial repair proteins and found evidence that mice produce many proteins that are closely related to the sea anemone repair proteins.
This “ground-breaking discovery” suggests that it may be possible to mobilise the same repair mechanisms in mammals with damaged hearing.
Watson hopes this breakthrough will eventually lead to a treatment for patients with acute hearing loss.
10 Tips For Healthy Ageing
Exercise(01 of10)
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As well as the physical benefits, regular exercise has positive effects on your brain. (credit:ferrantraite via Getty Images)
Stop Smoking(02 of10)
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It’s bad for your body and your brain. (credit:Yagi Studio via Getty Images)
Attend Regular Health Checks(03 of10)
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Make use of health checks on offer: contact your GP surgery for information. (credit:Hero Images via Getty Images)
Be Sociable(04 of10)
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Avoid the harmful effects of loneliness by keeping up your social contacts. (credit:Thomas Barwick via Getty Images)
Eat & Drink Well(05 of10)
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Adopt a Mediterranean diet or similar which is rich in nuts, whole grains and fruit, vegetables and oily fish, alcohol in moderation. (credit:Chris Gramly via Getty Images)
Manage Stress(06 of10)
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Keep your stress levels and your blood pressure down. (credit:Muriel de Seze via Getty Images)
Rest(07 of10)
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Get enough sleep. Most experts suggest about eight hours a night. (credit:BreBa via Getty Images)
Challenge Yourself(08 of10)
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Keep your brain active and challenge yourself: through work or volunteering. People in jobs that demand complex dealings with people or data are more likely to stay mentally sharp in later life (credit:LarsHallstrom via Getty Images)
Learn A Language(09 of10)
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People who speak more than one language are more likely to stay sharp in old age. (credit:Jupiterimages via Getty Images)
Love Later Life(10 of10)
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A positive attitude towards growing older can increase your life expectancy by up to seven and a half years. (credit:Jose Luis Pelaez Inc via Getty Images)