Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 11, 2026

An In Vitro Organ Culture Model of the Murine Intervertebral Disc
08:03

An In Vitro Organ Culture Model of the Murine Intervertebral Disc

Published on: April 11, 2017

10.3K

Mechanical loading of intervertebral disc modulates microglia proliferation, activation, and chemotaxis

S E Navone1, M Peroglio2, L Guarnaccia1

  • 1Laboratory of Experimental Neurosurgery and Cell Therapy, Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.

Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
|May 4, 2018
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Degenerating intervertebral discs (IVDs) create a neuroinflammatory environment that activates microglia. This activation exacerbates disc degeneration and may contribute to low back pain.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a significant cause of low back pain.
  • The role of neuroinflammation in DDD pathogenesis is increasingly recognized.
  • Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, are implicated in inflammatory processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of a mechanically induced degenerating intervertebral disc (IVD) microenvironment on microglia.
  • To elucidate the role of microglial cells in the progression of degenerative disc disease.

Main Methods:

  • Bovine caudal IVDs were cultured ex vivo under mechanical loading simulating degeneration or in free-swelling control conditions.
  • Conditioned media (CM) from IVDs were analyzed for cytokine and neurotrophin content.
  • Microglial cells were exposed to CM to assess neuroinflammatory activation, proliferation, and gene expression.

Main Results:

  • Degenerative CM (D-CM) significantly increased the production of IL-8, NGF, IFN-γ, and IL-17 by IVD cells compared to control.
  • D-CM stimulated microglia proliferation, activation (increased IBA1, CD68 expression), and chemotaxis.
  • Microglia exposed to D-CM showed upregulation of genes including IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, iNOS, IBA1, and VEGF.

Conclusions:

  • The neuroinflammatory microenvironment of degenerating IVDs activates microglia.
  • Activated microglia contribute to the inflammatory milieu within IVD tissues and surrounding areas.
  • Microglia play a crucial role in maintaining the neuroinflammatory state of IVDs and may contribute to low back pain.
Keywords:
Conditioned mediumIntervertebral discMechanical loadingMicrogliaNeuroinflammation

More Related Videos

Preparation of Intact Bovine Tail Intervertebral Discs for Organ Culture13:37

Preparation of Intact Bovine Tail Intervertebral Discs for Organ Culture

Published on: February 2, 2012

15.0K
Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration06:22

Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration

Published on: July 8, 2021

2.6K

Related Concept Videos

Chemotaxis in E. coli01:27

Chemotaxis in E. coli

Chemotaxis in Escherichia coli is a sensory-driven motility mechanism that enables bacteria to navigate chemical gradients, moving toward beneficial environments while avoiding harmful conditions. This process relies on a signal transduction system integrating external chemical cues with flagellar motor control.Chemoreceptors and Signal DetectionE. coli detects chemical gradients through methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs), which are membrane-bound chemoreceptors that sense attractants...
972
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
5.2K
Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration01:21

Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration

Cells can detect chemical cues in their environment and reorganize the cytoskeleton to migrate toward them or away from them. This directional migration, called chemotaxis, is essential during embryogenesis and development, immune response, tissue repair and regeneration, and reproduction. These chemical cues can either attract or repel the cell's movement. For example, axon development is determined by a combination of chemoattractants and chemorepellents that direct the growing axon...
5.1K
Reaction Mechanisms03:06

Reaction Mechanisms

Chemical reactions often occur in a stepwise fashion, involving two or more distinct reactions taking place in a sequence. A balanced equation indicates the reacting species and the product species, but it reveals no details about how the reaction occurs at the molecular level. The reaction mechanism (or reaction path) provides details regarding the precise, step-by-step process by which a reaction occurs.
For instance, the decomposition of ozone appears to follow a mechanism with two steps:
31.0K
Impact Loading01:19

Impact Loading

Impact loading occurs when a moving object collides with a stationary structure, such as a rod with a uniform cross-sectional area fixed at one end. Under these conditions, the rod absorbs the kinetic energy from the striking object, leading to deformation and subsequent stress development. As the rod returns to its original position and reaches maximum stress, the absorbed energy, initially manifested as kinetic energy, transforms entirely into strain energy.
In cases of elastic deformation,...
715
Cells Coordinate Growth and Proliferation02:36

Cells Coordinate Growth and Proliferation

Cell size is a significant factor impacting cellular design, function, and fitness. There exists some internal coordination by which cells double their masses before division, thus, achieving homeostasis. Coordination between cell growth and proliferation depends on the checkpoints in between cell cycle phases. Loss of coordination or failure in the checkpoint mechanism can drive the cell to uncontrolled growth and loss of cellular function. Like dividing cells that coordinate cellular growth,...
5.1K