Osteoarthritis and cartilage
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Osteoarthr. Cartil. · Jun 2019
Nutrient supply and nucleus pulposus cell function: effects of the transport properties of the cartilage endplate and potential implications for intradiscal biologic therapy.
Intradiscal biologic therapy is a promising strategy for managing intervertebral disc degeneration. However, these therapies require a rich nutrient supply, which may be limited by the transport properties of the cartilage endplate (CEP). This study investigated how fluctuations in CEP transport properties impact nutrient diffusion and disc cell survival and function. ⋯ CEP transport properties dramatically affect NP cell survival/function. Degeneration-related CEP matrix changes could hinder the success of biologic therapies that require increased nutrient supply.