Inner ear proteomics: a fad or hear to stay.

Proteomics, the large-scale analysis of the structure and function of proteins, as well as of protein-protein interactions, has evolved into a major component of 'systems analysis'. This requires the integration of information from different sources and at multiple levels, and involves two distinct parameters, (1) high-throughput protein separation, identification, and characterization, and (2) the extension of the obtained analytical data for the determination of the physiological function. The inner ear poses exceptional challenges to the study of proteomics because of its minute size, poor accessibility, association with complex fluid spaces, and diversity of cell types. Various approaches to the study of proteomics of the inner ear are presented, and success stories, noteworthy failures and what lies ahead, will be discussed.