Research Progress in the Identification of Protective Compounds against Sensory Hair Cell Damage Using the Zebrafish Model

Sensory hair cell damage is widely recognized as a key pathological mechanism underlying hearing loss and balance dysfunction. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2050 nearly 2.5 billion people worldwide will experience some degree of hearing loss, with more than 700 million requiring hearing rehabilitation; therefore, the development of effective pharmacological strategies to protect sensory hair cells is urgently needed. In mammals, sensory hair cells exhibit extremely limited regenerative capacity and rarely undergo spontaneous repair after injury. In contrast, zebrafish, owing to their high genetic conservation with humans, short reproductive cycle, optical transparency of embryos, and superficial distribution of hair cells, have become an ideal model for elucidating the mechanisms of hair cell damage and conducting high-throughput drug screening. This review systematically summarizes the advantages of the zebrafish model, outlines the major etiological factors and molecular pathways underlying sensory hair cell damage, and describes commonly used approaches for evaluating drug efficacy, including hair cell quantification and acoustic startle response assays. Furthermore, pharmacological classes with protective effects on hair cells are reviewed, and their putative molecular targets are discussed. Finally, future research directions are proposed, with the aim of providing a theoretical framework and technical support for the development of therapeutics targeting diseases associated with sensory hair cell injury.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2026.05.0021