title: [Biological characteristics of human degenerative vertebral endplate cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the morphology and phenotypes of cells extracted from the endplate in the intervertebral discs and identify the factors affecting their biological characteristic.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervertebral disc endplate were digested enzymatically, and the morphology of the obtained cells was examined under light microscope. Immunhistochemical analysis of collagen II and real-time PCR was carried out, and the morphologies, viability, cell growth, apoptosis and chondrocyte matrix production were compared between the cells isolated from the degenerative and normal vertebral endplates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cells in primary culture presented with spherical and oval morphology, and the cytoplasm was stained blue with toluidine blue. The morphologies of the cartilage endplate cells and the articular cells were almost identical. All the freshly isolated cells expressed collagen II. The degenerative vertebral endplate cells showed decreased expression of collagen II with increased apoptotic cells as compared with normal vertebral endplate cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intervertebral disc endplate cells, like articular cartilage cells, express cartilage-specific matrix proteins. Degenerative vertebral endplate cells show decreased cell vitality with increases cell apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic and Spinal Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou510515, China. wf153153@163.com
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Feng-long
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhao-zong
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Zhao-fei
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dong-bin
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Qu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002356:Cartilage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006132:Growth Plate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen