Loss of notochordal cell phenotype in 3D-cell cultures: implications for disc physiology and disc repair.

Introduction: Embryonic notochordal disc nucleus cells (NC) have been identified to protect disc tissue against disc degeneration but in human beings NC phenotype gets lost with aging and the pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood. NC may stimulate other cells via soluble factors, and NC-conditioned medium can be used to stimulate matrix production of other disc cells and mesenchymal stem cells and thus may be of special interest for biological disc repair. As this stimulatory effect is associated with the NC phenotype, we investigated how cell morphology and gene-expression of the NC phenotype changes with time in 3D-cell culture.

Torn human rotator cuff tendons have reduced collagen thermal properties on differential scanning calorimetry.

The cause of the high failure rates often observed following rotator cuff tendon repairs, particularly massive tears, is not fully understood. Collagen structural changes have been shown to alter tendon thermal and mechanical properties. This study aimed to form a quantitative rather than qualitative assessment, of whether differences in collagen structure and integrity existed between small biopsies of normal, small, and massive rotator cuff tears using differential scanning calorimetry.

Osmolarity effects on bovine articular chondrocytes during three-dimensional culture in alginate beads.

Objective: With the development of engineered cartilage, the determination of the appropriate culture conditions is vital in order to maximize extracellular matrix synthesis. As osmolarity could affect the fate of chondrocytes, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of osmolarity on chondrocytes during relatively long-term culture.

Design: Bovine articular chondrocytes were cultured in alginate beads in a biocarbonate free system at 280, 380 and 550 mOsm at pH 7.

The elastin network: its relationship with collagen and cells in articular cartilage as visualized by multiphoton microscopy.

A combination of two-photon fluorescence (TPF), second harmonic generation (SHG) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging has been used to investigate the elastin fibre network in healthy equine articular cartilage from the metacarpophalangeal joint. The elastin fibres were identified using their intrinsic two-photon fluorescence and immuno-staining was used to confirm the identity of these fibres. SHG was used to reveal the collagen matrix and the collagen fibre orientations were determined from their SHG polarization sensitivity, while CARS was used to clearly delineate the cell boundaries.

Notochordal intervertebral disc cells: sensitivity to nutrient deprivation.

Objective: The nucleus pulposus (NP) of the intervertebral disc develops from the notochord. Humans and other species in which notochordal cells (NCs) disappear to be replaced by chondrocyte-like mature NP cells (MNPCs) frequently develop disc degeneration, unlike other species that retain NCs. The reasons for NC disappearance are unknown.