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Related Concept Videos

Herniated Intervertebral Disc l: Introduction01:29

Herniated Intervertebral Disc l: Introduction

Intervertebral disc herniation refers to the displacement of the nucleus pulposus (the gel-like inner core of the disc) through a tear or weakened area in the annulus fibrosus (the outer fibrous ring). The displaced disc material extends beyond the normal boundaries of the disc space and may compress or irritate nearby spinal nerve roots or, less commonly, the spinal cord.Etiology and Risk FactorsHerniation commonly results from degeneration, in which aging reduces disc hydration and...
Degenerative Disc Disease I: Introduction01:27

Degenerative Disc Disease I: Introduction

Degenerative disc disease is a chronic condition in which intervertebral discs gradually lose structure and function. It is not infectious or autoimmune; rather, it results from age-related biochemical and mechanical changes, influenced by genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors.Structure and Function of DiscsThe spine contains 23 intervertebral discs that absorb load, distribute forces, maintain spacing, and allow flexibility. Each disc consists of a nucleus pulposus, a gel-like core...
Degenerative Disc Disease ll: Pathophysiology01:23

Degenerative Disc Disease ll: Pathophysiology

The symptoms of degenerative disc disease arise from a combination of mechanical compression, vascular compromise, and biochemical inflammation, which together disrupt nerve function and produce pain.Mechanical CompressionDisc degeneration reduces height and elasticity, predisposing to herniation of the nucleus pulposus, a major cause of radicular pain. Herniations may be protrusion (bulging with intact annulus), extrusion (nucleus extends beyond disc but remains connected), or sequestration...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Preparation of Intact Bovine Tail Intervertebral Discs for Organ Culture
13:37

Preparation of Intact Bovine Tail Intervertebral Discs for Organ Culture

Published on: February 2, 2012

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Cryopreserving the intact intervertebral disc without compromising viability.

Ward Shalash1, Ryan Forcier1, Adam Z Higgins1

  • 1School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA.

JOR Spine
|August 6, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cryopreservation of intervertebral discs (IVDs) is now possible with a novel method accelerating cryoprotective agent (CPA) delivery. This technique ensures high cell viability after frozen storage, overcoming previous barriers in tissue preservation for transplantation and research.

Keywords:
cryopreservationdisc transplantintervertebral disctransport phenomena

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Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Regenerative Medicine
  • Tissue Engineering

Background:

  • Cryopreservation of tissues like intervertebral discs (IVDs) is hindered by the toxicity of cryoprotective agents (CPAs) and the slow rate of their delivery.
  • Current limitations in organ transplantation and regenerative therapy research are partly due to the challenges in preserving tissues and organs for extended periods.
  • Human IVDs present a significant opportunity for treating back pain and advancing regenerative therapies, but logistical issues in organ acquisition and transport impede their use.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a novel cryopreservation protocol for intact intervertebral discs (IVDs).
  • To significantly accelerate the delivery of cryoprotective agents (CPAs) into IVDs to mitigate toxicity and cell death.
  • To enable long-term storage of IVDs with preserved tissue viability for potential transplantation and research applications.

Main Methods:

  • Tested various cryoprotective agent (CPA) solutions on bovine nucleus pulposus cells to identify the least cytotoxic option.
  • Utilized Computed Tomography (CT) imaging with CPA contrast enhancement to quantify saturation times in intact bovine IVDs under dynamic loading and swelling conditions.
  • Validated the cryopreservation protocol, including one week of frozen storage, by assessing cell viability in multiple IVD regions post-thaw.

Main Results:

  • A cryopreservation medium using dimethyl sulfoxide and ethylene glycol demonstrated over 7.5 hours of safety before cytotoxicity.
  • A dynamic loading and swelling protocol reduced IVD CPA saturation time from over 3 days to under 5 hours, a more than 20x improvement.
  • After one week of cryopreservation, all tested IVD regions exhibited 85% cell viability, comparable to fresh, unfrozen controls.

Conclusions:

  • Developed a novel method for rapid CPA delivery into intact IVDs through post-compression swelling, addressing a key challenge in tissue cryopreservation.
  • This accelerated CPA permeation enables effective cryopreservation of IVDs with no significant loss in cell viability.
  • The optimized protocol facilitates the potential development of transplantation banks for IVDs and enhances their utility in regenerative medicine research.