Knocked Off Balance by a Defect in the Cellular Process Autophagy

A team of researchers, led by Carlos López-Otín, at Universidad de Oviedo, Spain, has identified in mice an essential role for the cellular process known as autophagy in inner ear development and balance sensing. The team hopes that these data will provide new understanding of human balance disorders, which are of increasing relevance as the elderly population expands, and possibly new therapeutic approaches.