Study to determine the presence of progenitor cells in the degenerated human cartilage endplates.
BACKGROUND
Cartilage endplate (CEP) degeneration is usually accompanied by loss of cellularity, and this loss may be a crucial key factor in initiation and development of degenerative disc disease. The study of cell types in degenerated CEP could help in understanding CEP etiopathogenesis, and may help in devising new treatments, especially if the presence of progenitor cells could be demonstrated. The aim of this study was to determine if progenitor cells existed in degenerated human CEP.


METHODS
Cells isolated from CEP were cultured in a three-dimensional agarose suspension to screen for proliferative cell clusters. Cell clusters were then expanded in vitro and the populations were analyzed for colony forming unit, immunophenotype, multilineage induction, and expression of stem cell-related genes.


RESULTS
The presence of progenitor cells in degenerated human CEP is indicated by the results of CFU, immunophenotype, multilineage induction, and expression of stem cell-related genes.


CONCLUSIONS
We believe that this is the first study which has conclusively shown the presence of progenitor cells in degenerated CEP. The finding of this study may influence the clinical management of degenerative disc disorder.
Department of Orthopedics, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, People's Republic of China.
Bo
B
Huang
Lan-Tao
LT
Liu
Chang-Qing
CQ
Li
Ying
Y
Zhuang
Gang
G
Luo
Shi-Yuan
SY
Hu
Yue
Y
Zhou
D000328:Adult; D002356:Cartilage / Q000473:pathology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017586:Diskectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*