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Intervertebral disc regeneration: do nutrients lead the way?

Nature Reviews Rheumatology volume 10, pages 561–566 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

Strategies for the biological repair of intervertebral discs derive from the premise that disc degeneration results from impaired cellular activity and, therefore, that these structures can be induced to regenerate by implanting active cells or providing factors that restore normal cellular activity. In vitro and animal studies using this approach have had some success, but whether this success can be reproduced in degenerate human lumbar discs is unknown. Successful repair requires that the disc cells remain viable and active; they therefore need an adequate supply of nutrients. However, as the disc degenerates, the nutrient supply decreases, thereby limiting cell activity and viability. Current biologic approaches might place additional demands on an already precarious nutrient supply. Here, we discuss whether the loss of nutrients associated with disc degeneration limits the effectiveness of biologic approaches, and indicate that this neglected problem requires investigation if clinical application of such therapies is to succeed.

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Figure 1: Pathways of nutrient supply in a normal intervertebral disc.
Figure 2: Schematic showing factors influencing the balance between the rates of nutrient supply and demand.
Figure 3: Schematic showing the potential influence of biological therapies on nutrient balance.

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Acknowledgements

The authors of this work were supported financially by the Research Grants Council of Hong Hong and Tam Sai Kit Endowment Fund (Y.-C.H and K.D.K.L) and by the European Community (FP7,2007-2013) under grant agreement no. HEALTH-F2-2008-201626 (J.P.G.U).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, 5/F Professor Block, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

    Yong-Can Huang & Keith D. K. Luk

  2. Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Le Gros Clark Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK

    Jill P. G. Urban

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  1. Yong-Can Huang
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All authors researched the data for the article, provided substantial contributions to discussions of its content, wrote the article and undertook review and/or editing of the manuscript before submission.

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Correspondence to Keith D. K. Luk.

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Huang, YC., Urban, J. & Luk, K. Intervertebral disc regeneration: do nutrients lead the way?. Nat Rev Rheumatol 10, 561–566 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2014.91

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