Human nucleus pulposus cell cultures and disc degeneration grading systems: Comment on the article by Le Maitre et al

摘要

In the recent article by Le Maitre et al, the authors compare the integrin mechanotransduction pathways in degenerated human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells with those in normal human NP cells, after cells were subjected to dynamic compression loading (1). NP cells exhibiting various grades of degeneration were loaded into a three-dimensional culture system and were suspended in alginate, in which NP cells exhibit spherically shaped morphology and a chondrocyte-like phenotype (2). Dynamic compression loading, as used in the study by Le Maitre and colleagues, simulates the physiologic daily load of the spine in order to determine the underlying mechanisms leading to disc degeneration.