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Updated: Jun 20, 2026
Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration
Published on: July 8, 2021
Identification of phenotypic discriminating markers for intervertebral disc cells and articular chondrocytes
Johann Clouet1, Gaël Grimandi, Marianne Pot-Vaucel
1INSERM U791, Osteoarticular and Dental Tissue Engineering, University of Nantes, 1-Place Alexis Ricordeau, 44042, Nantes Cedex 1, France.
Objective:
The present study was conducted to improve our knowledge of intervertebral disc (IVD) cell biology by comparing the phenotype of nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosus (AF) cells with that of articular chondrocytes (ACs).
Methods:
Rabbit cells from NP and AF were isolated and their phenotype was compared with that of AC by real-time PCR analysis of type I (COL1A1), II (COL2A1) and V (COL5A1) collagens, aggrecan transcript (AGC1), matrix Gla protein (MGP) and Htra serine peptidase 1 (Htra1).
Results:
Transcript analysis indicated that despite certain similarities, IVD cells exhibit distinct COL2A1/COL1A1 and COL2A1/AGC1 ratios as compared with AC. The expression pattern of COL5A1, MGP and Htra1 makes it possible to define a phenotypic signature for NP and AF cells.
Conclusions:
Our study shows that NP and AF cells exhibit a clearly distinguishable phenotype from that of AC. Type V collagen, MGP and HtrA1 could greatly help to discriminate among NP, AF and AC cells.
