Celeste Sanchez

All Publications

• Anatomical and Molecular Insights into Avian Inner Ear Sensory Hair Cell Regeneration. Developmental biology Miranda Portillo, L. S., Huang, A. P., Hosamani, I. V., Sanchez, C. N., Heller, S., Benkafadar, N. 2025

  Abstract

  Inner ear sensory hair cells are essential for auditory and vestibular functions. In mammals, loss of these cells leads to permanent hearing loss due to the inability of supporting cells to regenerate hair cells. In contrast, avian species exhibit a remarkable capacity for hair cell regeneration, primarily through the activation and proliferation of supporting cells. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the anatomical and molecular mechanisms underlying sensory hair cell regeneration in two critical avian inner ear structures: the basilar papilla and the utricle. We describe the structural and functional differences between avian and mammalian inner ear epithelia and highlight how these distinctions correlate with regenerative capabilities. Specifically, we discuss two distinct regenerative mechanisms - mitotic regeneration and direct transdifferentiation - employed by avian supporting cells in response to hair cell loss. We also explore how epithelial organization influences regenerative responses, including cellular density, cytoskeletal dynamics such as circumferential filamentous actin bands, and mechanical properties like tissue jamming and unjamming states. Additionally, we examine molecular pathways such as Hippo signaling, which mediates mechanical cues critical for regulating supporting cell proliferation and differentiation during regeneration. Recent advancements in single-cell -omics technologies have further elucidated molecular signatures and signaling pathways involved in these processes, offering novel insights that may inform therapeutic strategies aimed at inducing hair cell regeneration in mammals. This review highlights key anatomical and molecular concepts derived from avian models that hold promise for overcoming regenerative limitations in mammalian inner ears, paving the way for innovative treatments for hearing loss.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ydbio.2025.05.021

  View details for PubMedID 40414451

• A vascularized 3D model of the human pancreatic islet forex vivostudy of immune cell-islet interaction. Biofabrication Bender, R. H., O'Donnell, B. T., Shergill, B., Pham, B. Q., Tahmouresie, S., Sanchez, C. N., Juat, D. J., Hatch, M. M., Shirure, V. S., Wortham, M., Nguyen-Ngoc, K. V., Jun, Y., Gaetani, R., Christman, K. L., Teyton, L., George, S. C., Sander, M., Hughes, C. C. 2024; 16 (2)

  Abstract

  Insulin is an essential regulator of blood glucose homeostasis that is produced exclusively byβcells within the pancreatic islets of healthy individuals. In those affected by diabetes, immune inflammation, damage, and destruction of isletβcells leads to insulin deficiency and hyperglycemia. Current efforts to understand the mechanisms underlyingβcell damage in diabetes rely onin vitro-cultured cadaveric islets. However, isolation of these islets involves removal of crucial matrix and vasculature that supports islets in the intact pancreas. Unsurprisingly, these islets demonstrate reduced functionality over time in standard culture conditions, thereby limiting their value for understanding native islet biology. Leveraging a novel, vascularized micro-organ (VMO) approach, we have recapitulated elements of the native pancreas by incorporating isolated human islets within a three-dimensional matrix nourished by living, perfusable blood vessels. Importantly, these islets show long-term viability and maintain robust glucose-stimulated insulin responses. Furthermore, vessel-mediated delivery of immune cells to these tissues provides a model to assess islet-immune cell interactions and subsequent islet killing-key steps in type 1 diabetes pathogenesis. Together, these results establish the islet-VMO as a novel,ex vivoplatform for studying human islet biology in both health and disease.

  View details for DOI 10.1088/1758-5090/ad17d0

  View details for PubMedID 38128127

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC10782895