Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and Regeneration: New Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutics—Second Edition

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing incidence of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration with age and its correlation with lower-back pain, IVD herniation, and spinal canal stenosis are remarkable trends in contemporary society. Although surgical treatments, such as discectomy and spinal fusion, are effective strategies, several complications have been reported, including reherniation and adjacent segment disease. These treatments do not focus on the etiology of IVD degeneration, which is poorly understood. Therefore, a novel and fundamental approach to treating IVD degeneration is highly anticipated. 

Dysfunction is caused by degeneration of the IVDs as a result of several factors, including injury, aging, apoptosis of the nucleus pulposus, and mechanical overload, leading to diminished organization and repair of the extracellular matrix. 

Biological methods of IVD repair have gained interest as alternative options for restoring degenerated IVDs using growth factor proteins to stimulate cell activity and increase extracellular matrix synthesis. Alternatively, to overcome the rapid biological clearance, some studies have demonstrated gene transfer into nucleus pulposus cells, which provides the continuous synthesis of therapeutic proteins. In addition, the injection of hydrogels or stem cells has been attempted in basic and translational research. 

This Special Issue aims to summarize the current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of the degeneration and regeneration of IVDs for new treatment strategies. 

We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Hideki Sudo
Guest Editor

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• spine
• intervertebral disc
• biomaterial
• stem cell
• gene therapy

• Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and Regeneration: New Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutics in Cells (7 articles)