Restoration of physiologic loading modulates engineered intervertebral disc structure and function in an in vivo model.

ABSTRACT: Tissue-engineered whole disc replacements are an emerging treatment strategy for advanced intervertebral disc degeneration. A challenge facing the translation of tissue-engineered disc replacement to clinical use are the opposing needs of initial immobilization to advantage integration contrasted with physiologic loading and its anabolic effects. Here, we utilize our established rat tail model of tissue engineered disc replacement with external fixation to study the effects of remobilization at two time points postimplantation on engineered disc structure, composition, and function. Our results suggest that the restoration of mechanical loading following immobilization enhanced collagen and proteoglycan content within the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus of the engineered discs, in ad

SUBMITTER: Gullbrand SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7323465 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature