Total disc replacement using tissue-engineered intervertebral discs in the canine cervical spine

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185716
• Publication Date: 2017-10-20T13:33:55Z
• Authors: Yu Moriguchi; Jorge Mojica-Sant...; Peter Grunert; Brenton Pennicooke; Connor Berlin; Thamina Khair; Rodrigo Navarro-R...; Rodolfo J. Ricart...; Joseph Nguyen; Roger Härtl; Lawrence J. Bonassar
• Keywords: Discectomy; Intervertebral Disc; Degenerative Disc Disease; Beagle; Intervertebral disk

The most common reason that adults in the United States see their physician is lower back or neck pain secondary to degenerative disc disease. To date, approaches treat disease are confined purely mechanical devices designed either eliminate enable flexibility of diseased motion segment. Tissue engineered intervertebral discs (TE-IVDs) have been proposed as an alternative approach and shown promise replacing native IVD rodent tail spine. Here we demonstrate efficacy our TE-IVDs canine cervical TE-IVD components were constructed using adult annulus fibrosis nucleus pulposus cells seeded into collagen alginate hydrogels, respectively. Seeded gels formed a single unit molds from geometry Skeletally mature beagles underwent discectomy with whole resection at levels between C3/4 C6/7, then divided two groups received only followed by implantation TE-IVD. Stably implanted demonstrated significant retention height physiological hydration compared control. Both 4-week 16-week histological assessments chondrocytic surrounded proteoglycan-rich matrices NP fibrocartilaginous AF portions TE-IVDs. Integration host tissue was confirmed over 16 weeks without any signs immune reaction. Despite biomechanical demands beagle spine, stably maintained position, structure well vivo.