ABSTRACT
The chapter is divided into two parts, respectively, describing new findings in the fields of regenerative medicine and nanotechnologies applied to hearing therapies.
The first part will begin with an introduction on stem cell classification, genesis, and presence in ear tissues. Applications of stem cells in regenerating the three ear regions (outer, middle, and inner ear) will then be examined, analyzing advantages, and disadvantages of each procedure. The discussion shall include recent advances in the development of medical devices.
The second part will introduce nanotechnologies applied to hearing therapies, discussing the different uses of nanomaterials and nanoparticles. The chemical and physical characteristics of nano compounds will be reported according to their applications in hearing therapies. The conclusion of the chapter will extensively analyze the concept of biocompatibility, the most relevant issue in application of exogenous compounds.
