Basic Science

Development of an Organ Culture System for Long-Term Survival of the Intact Human Intervertebral Disc

Gawri, Rahul MBBS*,†; Mwale, Fackson PhD†; Ouellet, Jean MD‡; Roughley, Peter J. PhD§; Steffen, Thomas MD, PhD, MBA*; Antoniou, John MD, PhD†; Haglund, Lisbet PhD*

Author Information

*Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University

†Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital

‡McGill Scoliosis and Spine Centre

§Shriners Hospital for Children, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Lisbet Haglund, PhD, Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Royal Victoria Hospital, 687 Pine Avenue West, Room L4.70, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A1, Canada; E-mail: [email protected]

Acknowledgment date: May 11, 2010. Revision date: July 28, 2010. Acceptance date: August 16, 2010.

The manuscript submitted does not contain information about medical device(s)/drug(s).

Federal and Foundation funds were received to support this work. This work was supported by financial support from AOSpine grant number AOSBR-07-07, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Shriners of North America. Thoracolumbar spine segments, were obtained through the Transplant Quebec organ donation program and the McGill Scoliosis & Spinal Research Group.

No benefits in any form have been or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this manuscript.

Spine 36(22):p 1835-1842, October 15, 2011. | DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181f81314

Study Design. 

Human intervertebral discs were used to develop an intact whole disc organ culture system with long-term cell viability.

Objective. 

To develop and validate a long–term organ culture system for intact human intervertebral discs, in which the potential for biologic repair of disc degeneration can be studied.

Summary of Background Data. 

Intervertebral disc degeneration is a common cause of back pain, which can be costly to the health care system and have a negative impact on the quality of life of the patient. Once injured the adult human intervertebral disc seems incapable of intrinsic repair, but the early stages of disc degeneration can potentially be retarded or even reversed by the administration of growth factors to promote new extracellular matrix synthesis.

Methods. 

Intervertebral discs were prepared by three isolation techniques and placed in free swelling organ culture. Cell viability, disc swelling, glycosaminoglycan content, and extracellular matrix degradation were assessed under a variety of culture conditions.

Results. 

Human intervertebral discs isolated with intact cartilage end plates retained cell viability and did not undergo matrix degradation when cultured for 4 weeks with both a high and low nutrient level. This contrasted with the excessive cell death that was observed if the cartilage end plates were removed before culture or if vertebral bone was retained.

Conclusion. 

Retention of the cartilage end plates limits tissue swelling and permits efficient nutrient supply, thus allowing viable long-term organ culture. The availability of such a system will permit the repair potential of therapeutic candidates to be studied in human discs with naturally occurring degeneration. Furthermore, the system is simple and economical, as no apparatus is needed to limit the detrimental effects of excessive tissue swelling.

© 2011 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

Full Text Access for Subscribers:

Not a Subscriber?

Buy
Request Permissions

You can read the full text of this article if you:

Access through Ovid