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Restoration of physiologic loading modulates engineered intervertebral disc structure and function in an in vivo model
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

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

Sarah E. Gullbrand, Dong Hwa Kim, Beth G. Ashinsky, Edward D. Bonnevie, Harvey E. Smith, Robert L. Mauck and Jason E Cohn
JOR-spine, v 3(2), pp e1086-n/a
Jun 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jsp2.1086
PMID: 32613161
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/jsp2.1086View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open
url
https://doi.org/10.1002/jsp2.1086View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

integration physiologic loading rat model tissue engineering
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 addition to improving the integration of the endplate region of the construct with native bone. Despite these benefits, angulation of the vertebral bodies at the implanted level occurred following remobilization at both early and late time points, reducing tensile failure properties in the remobilized groups compared to the fixed group. These results demonstrate the necessity of restoring physiologic mechanical loading to engineered disc implants in vivo, and the need to transition toward their evaluation in larger animal models with more human‐like anatomy and motion compared to the rat tail. 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 post‐implantation on engineered disc structure, composition and function. We demonstrate that restoration of mechanical loading enhanced engineered disc composition, but compromised motion segment morphology and integration strength. These findings highlight the need to transition to larger animal models with more human‐like anatomy and motion compared to the rat tail to study the effects of in vivo loading on tissue engineered discs.

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4 citations in Web of Science
4 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Orthopedics
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