Adipose-derived stem cells improve the viability of nucleus pulposus cells in degenerated intervertebral discs
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 9, 2026

A Proinflammatory, Degenerative Organ Culture Model to Simulate Early-Stage Intervertebral Disc Disease.
Published on: February 14, 2021
Keran Song1, Tao Gu2, Feng Shuang3
1Institute of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100048, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Patients with degenerative disc disease (DDD) experience serious clinical symptoms, including chronic low back pain. A series of therapies have been developed to treat DDD, including physical therapy and surgical treatment. However, the therapeutic effect of such treatments has remained insufficient. Recently, stem cell‑based therapy, in which stem cells are injected into the nucleus pulposus in degenerated intervertebral disc tissue, has appeared to be effective in the treatment of DDD. In the present study, the effect of adipose‑derived stem cells on degenerated nucleus pulposus cells was investigated using a co‑culture system to evaluate the biological activity of degenerated nucleus pulposus cells. Human degenerated nucleus pulposus tissue was obtained from surgical specimens and the adipose‑derived stem cells were derived from adipose tissue. The degenerated nucleus pulposus cells were cultured in a mono‑culture or in a co‑culture with adipose‑derived stem cells using 0.4‑µm Transwell inserts. The results indicated that adipose‑derived stem cells were able to stimulate matrix synthesis and the cell proliferation of degenerated nucleus pulposus cells, promoting the restoration of nucleus pulposus cells in the degenerated intervertebral disc.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Stem Cell Therapy for Tissue Regeneration
Types of Stem Cells used in Stem Cell Therapy
The two main cell types that...
Herniated Intervertebral Disc l: Introduction
Degenerative Disc Disease I: Introduction
Degenerative Disc Disease ll: Pathophysiology

