title: Identification of phenotypic discriminating markers for intervertebral disc cells and articular chondrocytes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was conducted to improve our knowledge of intervertebral disc (IVD) cell biology by comparing the phenotype of nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosus (AF) cells with that of articular chondrocytes (ACs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Rabbit cells from NP and AF were isolated and their phenotype was compared with that of AC by real-time PCR analysis of type I (COL1A1), II (COL2A1) and V (COL5A1) collagens, aggrecan transcript (AGC1), matrix Gla protein (MGP) and Htra serine peptidase 1 (Htra1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transcript analysis indicated that despite certain similarities, IVD cells exhibit distinct COL2A1/COL1A1 and COL2A1/AGC1 ratios as compared with AC. The expression pattern of COL5A1, MGP and Htra1 makes it possible to define a phenotypic signature for NP and AF cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that NP and AF cells exhibit a clearly distinguishable phenotype from that of AC. Type V collagen, MGP and HtrA1 could greatly help to discriminate among NP, AF and AC cells.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U791, Osteoarticular and Dental Tissue Engineering, University of Nantes, 1-Place Alexis Ricordeau, 44042, Nantes Cedex 1, France.
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clouet
authors.forename: Gaël
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grimandi
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pot-Vaucel
authors.forename: Martial
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masson
authors.forename: Hakim B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Fellah
authors.forename: Lydie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guigand
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cherel
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bord
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rannou
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guicheux
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vinatier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D011817:Rabbits; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins