Neurosurg Focus. 2005 Sep 15;19(3):E4 Authors: Acosta FL, Lotz J, Ames CP Low-back pain is the most common health problem for men and women between 20 and 50 years of age, resulting in 13 million doctor visits in the US annually, with significant costs to society in terms of lost time from work and direct…

Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005 Nov 1;30(21):2379-87 Authors: Sakai D, Mochida J, Iwashina T, Watanabe T, Nakai T, Ando K, Hotta T STUDY DESIGN: An in vivo study to assess the differentiation status of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplanted to the nucleus pulposus of degenerative discs in a rabbit model. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the fate…

Spine J. 2005 Nov-Dec;5(6 Suppl):297S-303S Authors: Anderson DG, Risbud MV, Shapiro IM, Vaccaro AR, Albert TJ BACKGROUND CONTEXT: One of the most promising therapies for symptomatic disc degeneration involves the implantation of therapeutic cells into the degenerative disc. PURPOSE: In this article, the rationale and approaches for cell-based tissue engineering of the intervertebral disc are…

Eur Spine J. 2006 Aug;15 Suppl 3:S406-13 Authors: Leung VY, Chan D, Cheung KM Over the past few years, substantial progress has been made in the field of stem cell regeneration of the intervertebral disc. Autogenic mesenchymal stem cells in animal models can arrest intervertebral disc degeneration or even partially regenerate it and the effect…

Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006 Aug 15;31(18):2036-42 Authors: Le Visage C, Kim SW, Tateno K, Sieber AN, Kostuik JP, Leong KW STUDY DESIGN: To evaluate the in vitro interactions between human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and degenerative disc cells. OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the potential of MSCs in regulating the extracellular matrix synthesis of degenerative disc…

Eur Spine J. 2007 Apr;16(4):447-68 Authors: Paesold G, Nerlich AG, Boos N Recent advances in molecular biology, cell biology and material sciences have opened a new emerging field of techniques for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. These new treatment modalities aim for biological repair of the affected tissues by introducing cell-based tissue replacements, genetic modifications…

Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2007 May 15;32(11):1174-80 Authors: Huang KY, Yan JJ, Hsieh CC, Chang MS, Lin RM STUDY DESIGN: Prospective analysis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate biologic influences of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein (rhBMP)-2 on intervertebral discs after anular tears. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Treatments for intervertebral disc injury or degeneration are unsatisfactory. rhBMP-2, a…

Histol Histopathol. 2007 Sep;22(9):1033-41 Authors: Richardson SM, Mobasheri A, Freemont AJ, Hoyland JA Degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD) is a major cause of low back pain affecting a large percentage of the population at some point in their lives. Consequently IVD degeneration and its associated low back pain has a huge socio-economic impact and…

Zhongguo Xiu Fu Chong Jian Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2007 May;21(5):502-6 Authors: Liang T, Liu H OBJECTIVE: To introduce the research of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) transplantation for treating intervertebral disc degeneration. METHODS: The recent original articles about the MSCs transplantation for treating intervertebral disc degeneration were extensively reviewed. RESULTS: Transplanted MSCs in intervertebral disc can…

Spine J. 2008 Sep-Oct;8(5):804-9 Authors: Vadalà G, Sobajima S, Lee JY, Huard J, Denaro V, Kang JD, Gilbertson LG BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Current therapies for intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) are aimed at treating the clinical symptoms arising from IDD rather than directly treating the underlying problem. Pathophysiology of IDD is characterized by a progressive decrease in…