IDENTIFICATION OF PROGENITOR-LIKE CELLS IN THE NUCLEUS PULPOSUS WHICH ARE LOST IN INTERVERTEBRAL DISC DEGENERATION

摘要: Purpose (the aim of the study): Intervertebral disc disease (IDD) is a complex ageing-related disorder and its associated low back pain (LBP) is identified by the Lancet Reports on The Global Burden of Disease as one of the top 10 ranked leading causes of disability. The nucleus pulposus (NP), at the center of the intervertebral disc (IVD), characterized by a hydrated gelatinous core, contributes to shock-absorbance function in the spine. Lineage tracing in the mouse have established the presence of notochordal-like cells (NCLs) in the NP that are derived from the embryonic notochord. The loss of progenitors and impairment of the reparative capacity of the NP is thought to underlie the etiology of IDD. We aimed to identify potential progenitors in the intervertebral disc that may be important for homeostasis and protect against degeneration.Methods: We compared the transcriptomes of degenerated and non …