Scientists at the University of Sheffield think so. Using stem cells taken from the inner ears of aborted human fetuses, they have been able to grow the specialized hair cells needed for human hearing. These cells, more specifically, turn vibrations into electrical signals that are processed by the brain. The scientists are hoping for a breakthrough in the near future allowing them to transplant the cells in deaf patients. The transplant would apply only to those who suffer from sensorineural hearing loss, which happens to affect 90 percent of the deaf population.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/5066549/Hairs-grown-from-stem-cells-could-restore-hearing-to-the-deaf.html
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