Bone morphogenetic proteins and inner ear development.

ABSTRACT

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are the largest subfamily of the transforming growth factor-ß superfamily, and they play important roles in the development of numerous organs, including the inner ear. The inner ear is a relatively small organ but has a highly complex structure and is involved in both hearing and balance. Here, we discuss BMPs and BMP signaling pathways and then focus on the role of BMP signal pathway regulation in the development of the inner ear and the implications this has for the treatment of human hearing loss and balance dysfunction.