Minisode: Your Ear & Its Immune System
from Earvangelism Hosted by Priscilla Leigh
Deep in your cochlea, alongside the cells that detect sound, sits a resident population of immune cells called macrophages. They roam around patrolling for threats, clearing debris, managing inflammation. Every major organ has its own version. The brain's is called microglia. In this mini episode, I explain a striking discovery: that the genetic program running the ear's immune cells and the brain's are exactly the same, which raises the question of whether hearing loss and neurodegeneration are two expressions of one upstream cause!
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