• W Mark Erwin, Diana Islam, Eftekhar Eftekarpour, Robert D Inman, Muhammad Zia Karim, and Michael G Fehlings.
• Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. mark.erwin@utoronto.ca
• Spine. 2013 Feb 1;38(3):211-6.

Study DesignAn in vitro and in vivo evaluation of intervertebral disc (IVD)-derived stem/progenitor cells.ObjectiveTo determine the chondrogenic, adipogenic, osteogenic, and neurogenic differentiation capacity of disc-derived stem/progenitor cells in vitro and neurogenic differentiation in vivo.Summary Of Background DataTissue repair strategies require a source of appropriate cells that could be used to replace dead or damaged cells and tissues such as stem cells. Here we examined the potential use of IVD-derived stem cells in regenerative medicine approaches and neural repair.MethodsNonchondrodystrophic canine IVD nucleus pulposus (NP) cells were used to generate stem/progenitor cells (NP progenitor cells [NPPCs]) and the NPPCs were differentiated in vitro into chondrogenic, adipogenic, and neurogenic lineages and in vivo into the neurogenic lineage. NPPCs were compared with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal (stromal) stem cells in terms of the expression of stemness genes. The expression of the neural crest marker protein 0 and the Brachyury gene were evaluated in NP cells and NPPCs.ResultsNPPCs contain stem/progenitor cells and express "stemness" genes such as Sox2, Oct3/4, Nanog, CD133, Nestin, and neural cell adhesion molecule but differ from mesenchymal (stromal) stem cells in the higher expression of the Nanog gene by NPPCs. NPPCs do not express protein 0 or the Brachyury gene both of which are expressed by the totality of IVD NP cells. The percentage of NPPCs within the IVD is 1% of the total as derived by colony-forming assay. NPPCs are capable of differentiating along chondrogenic, adipogenic, and neurogenic lineages in vitro and into oligodendrocyte, neuron, and astroglial specific precursor cells in vivo within the compact myelin-deficient shiverer mouse.ConclusionWe propose that the IVD NP represents a regenerative niche suggesting that the IVD could represent a readily accessible source of precursor cells for neural repair and regeneration.

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