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Altered disc mechanics in mice genetically engineered for reduced type I collagen
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Altered disc mechanics in mice genetically engineered for reduced type I collagen

Joseph J Sarver and Dawn M Elliott
Spine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976), v 29(10), pp 1094-1098
15 May 2004
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/00007632-200405150-00009
PMID: 15131436
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Animals Biomechanical Phenomena Collagen Type I - deficiency Collagen Type I - genetics Intervertebral Disc - chemistry Intervertebral Disc - diagnostic imaging Intervertebral Disc - physiology Mice Mice, Inbred C57BL Mice, Transgenic Pressure Radiography Tensile Strength Torque
Mechanically test lumbar discs of transgenic mice in compression-tension and torsion. Determine if a reduction in type I collagen results in decreased disc mechanics. Quantitative relationships between disc structure and function would improve the understanding of disc generation and are essential relationships for functional tissue engineering. The reduced type I collagen transgenic mouse has been used in structure-function studies of bone and tendon, but not intervertebral discs. Methods for testing mouse discs have recently been developed, making disc structure-function studies possible. Microradiographed and mechanically tested lumbar discs from control and collagen-reduced mice in both compression-tension and torsion were used. Disc area and polar moment of inertia were determined from radiographic data, stiffness from mechanical data, and apparent modulus from geometric and mechanical data. Collagen-reduced discs had a larger area and polar moment of inertia compared to controls. The linear and torsional stiffness of collagen-reduced and control discs were not significantly different. Finally, the apparent modulus of collagen-reduced discs was significantly less than controls in compression (73% of control) and torsion (50%). Compared to controls, collagen-reduced discs had reduced apparent modulus in both loading directions, suggesting that the transgenic disc tissue was mechanically inferior to controls. These results are consistent with the widely accepted functional role of type I collagen in disc mechanics, and therefore supports the use of transgenic mice to study structure-function relationships of the disc. Future work will focus on quantifying structure-function relationships related to degeneration, as well as those relevant to the design of tissue-engineered disc replacements.

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Web of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
Orthopedics
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