GATA3 and hypoparathyroidism: A similar hearing loss phenotype due to degeneration of OHCs with consequent increase of auditory threshold has also been described in heterozygous Gata3 mutant mice, a model of GATA3 haploinsufficiency that causes the human autosomal dominant HDR (Hypoparathyroidism, Deafness and Renal dysplasia) syndrome (Bilous et al., 1992; Van Esch et al., 2000; van der Wees et al., 2004).