{
  "abstract": "Background: The cochlea contains a diverse population of immune cells that contribute to tissue homeostasis and to responses to injury. Among these, mononuclear phagocytes including tissue-resident macrophages, dendritic cells, and microglia-like cells play central roles in immune surveillance and inflammation. Cochlear implantation induces a robust foreign body response, and here we sought to map the spatial distribution of mononuclear phagocytes across distinct cochlear compartments in healthy cochleae and following implantation.\n\nMaterials and methods: We used two reporter mice in this study: C57BL/6-Tmem119em2Gfng/J (TMEM119+/GFP as reporter for microglia), B6. FVB-1700016L21RikTg (Itgax-DTR/EGFP)57Lan/J (CD11c+/GFP as reporter for dendritic cells). To define the spatial organization of different types of mononuclear phagocytes in normal cochleae and after implantation, 30-μm mid-modiolar cochlear sections from these reporter mice were imaged using a confocal microscope. Immunolabeling with cell-specific and activation markers was used to further characterize the cellular distributions and responses.\n\nResults: We identify heterogeneous distribution of mononuclear phagocytes throughout the cochlea. CD11c-positive dendritic cells display a more restricted baseline distribution, residing primarily in Rosenthal’s canal and the spiral ligament; they selectively accumulate at the implant–tissue interface in the scala tympani after implantation and upregulate major histocompatibility complex class II expression, consistent with antigen-presenting phenotypes. In addition, expression of microglia-associated markers, including TMEM119 and P2Y12, identifies a microglia-like population within specific cochlear sub-regions that persists following implantation.\n\nConclusion: Together, these findings reveal an immune landscape in the cochlea under both healthy and implant-associated inflammatory conditions. CD11c-positive dendritic cells appear to play a central role in the inflammatory response to cochlear implants, becoming activated and localizing to the interface with the biomaterial surface.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa , , ,"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 11,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Shakila Mahmuda Fatima"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Muhammad Taifur Rahman"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Brian J. Mostaert"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ibrahim Razu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Bryce Hunger"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Shanta Afrin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sharar Naiarin Haque"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Nashwaan Ali Khan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zhenshen Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Alexander D. Claussen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Marlan R. Hansen"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ebvah230s5e7r.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fncel.2026.1895870",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13719395/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "ebvah230s5e7r",
  "issns": [
    "1662-5102"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13719395",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2809|Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222498335",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13719395/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13719395",
  "pmid": "42964073",
  "published": "2026-10-16",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ebvah230s5e7r.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T12:21:36Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13719395",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13719395"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-02T12:23:22Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13719395",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2026.1895870"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2809|Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Tissue-resident and recruited mononuclear phagocyte organization in the cochlea under homeostasis and implant-induced inflammation",
  "title_text": "Tissue-resident and recruited mononuclear phagocyte organization in the cochlea under homeostasis and implant-induced inflammation",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-03T12:20:28Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ebvah230s5e7r",
  "venue": "Frontiers in cellular neuroscience",
  "versions": []
}