Notch signaling during cell fate determination in the inner ear

• The role of Notch signaling in mediating hair cell and supporting cell differentiation in the inner ear.
• The role of Notch signaling in specifying the sensory cell progenitors via lateral induction.
• Potential downstream effectors of Notch involved in both lateral inhibition and lateral induction.
• The function of Notch signaling in establishing the neural components of the ear.
• Modulators of Notch signaling and their role during inner ear development.

In the inner ear, Notch signaling has been proposed to specify the sensory regions, as well as regulate the differentiation of hair cells and supporting cell within those regions. In addition, Notch plays an important role in otic neurogenesis, by determining which cells differentiate as neurons, sensory cells and non-sensory cells. Here, I review the evidence for the complex and myriad roles Notch participates in during inner ear development. A particular challenge for those studying ear development and Notch is to decipher how activation of a single pathway can lead to different outcomes within the ear, which may include changes in the intrinsic properties of the cell, Notch modulation, and potential non-canonical pathways.