**4. Conclusions and perspectives**

Kinases and phosphatases serve as important regulators of cell signaling and protein function within the auditory system. Many of these enzymes are required for the maintenance of inner ear structures by regulating function of different proteins, which are known to be present in the hair cells. Not only are the malfunctions of these enzymes involved in genetic hearing loss, but many environmental factors such as exposure to loud noise and oxidative stress also activate or affect the phosphorylation pathways [71]. Due to the importance of MAPK pathway to hearing [71, 72], it is a target for design of treatment of hearing loss. Pharmacological inhibitors of phosphorylation pathways are being explored for treatment of hearing loss [2]. Inhibitors are specifically developed and administered to model organisms for stopping ototoxic effects of medicinal drugs [73]. For example, direct BRAF inhibition, by dabrafenib given orally, was demonstrated to protect mouse hearing loss induced due to cisplatin

administration [74]. Intra-tympanic injections for treatment of noise-induced hearing loss in model organisms are also being explored and may open up avenues for effective localized therapies in humans as well [75]. Continued research on protein phosphorylation will yield additional information on other important kinases and phosphatases and their target proteins required for human hearing and will advance our understanding of the auditory system.
