Neuroimmunology of the Inner Ear - Part II

In the previous issue of the Research Topic "Neuroimmunology of the Inner Ear," we explored the interactions among the immune, neural and sensory systems in the inner ear at the molecular, cellular, and systemic levels. A couple of years have passed, and science continues despite petrifying global events. Novel discoveries are shining a light on the players involved in inner ear responses: mapping of immune cell populations in the inner ear at a single-cell level, defining several macrophage populations devoted to separate inner ear compartments, selective barriers excluding immune cells (e.g., neutrophils) from the ear inner sanctum -the endolymphatic compartment- while allowing perilymphatic access, the development of a mechanistic model for endolymphatic duct fluid management, glimpses of Meniere's disease molecular and cell correlates, and so on. These are exciting times for inner ear neuroimmunology.

For the current issue of "Neuroimmunology of the Inner Ear part II", we will welcome new papers on this fascinating topic, aiming to update the existing knowledge and gain novel information covering clinical and basic research on immunity and neuroimmunology of the inner ear.

Topic Editors will welcome any type of manuscript - research article, brief research article, review, and mini-review- concerning, but not limited to, the following subjects:
• the physiology of the immune system in the inner ear
• the structures (blood vessels, endolymphatic sac, bone marrow) and neuroimmune interactions regulating inner ear immune responses from development to aging, as well as in response to injury of any etiology (ototoxic, surgical, infectious including SARS-Cov-2, or noise-induced)
• the immune reaction of the inner ear to systemic or local treatments, such as cell and gene therapies, anti-viral therapies, or biologics
• reviews focusing on specific classes of immune cells or mechanisms found in the inner ear, summarizing state-of-the-art in the field of innate or acquired immunity of the inner ear
Particular emphasis is set on the characterization of the interactions between the immune and neural components of the inner ear under physiological and pathological conditions.


*picture legend: Resident CD68-positive cells in a cochlear explant dissected from postnatal day 5 Wistar rat. The cochlear tissues were stained with anti-CD68 antibody-Alexa594 (red) and DAPI (blue). The image was taken under an epifluorescent microscope EVOS, magnification 10x.