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Degeneration of the intervertebral disc is a process that is fundamental
to the development of degenerative disorders of the spine including
intervertebral disc herniation, spinal stenosis, degenerative
spondylolisthesis and discogenic back pain. These pathologies account
for the vast majority of disability and operative care for spinal
disorders. Degeneration of the intervertebral disc is a physiologic
process, and disc degeneration is identifiable in the aging spine of
patients with and without symptomatic back pain. The presence or
absence of pain from a degenerated disc or spinal motion segment is of
primary importance to the clinician who is treating a patient with
symptomatic back pain. Pathologic disc degeneration is symptomatic or
painful, while physiologic disc degeneration can exist with retention of
the structural stability of the spine, preservation for neural function,
and the absence of pain. One goal of our basic science research is to
identify radiographic and molecular differences between pathologic and
physiologic disc degeneration.
The development of alternative strategies for treating degenerated discs
that restore disc structure and function is a contemporary challenge in
the field of bioengineering, particularly in light of new
minimally-invasive surgical techniques that efficiently access the
intervertebral disc space. Another goal of our research is to develop
biologic repair strategies that increase disc cellularity and matrix
synthesis. The introduction of cells capable of producing normal
extracellular matrix, in an environment of high pressure, low oxygen
content and low pH is critical to the biological regeneration of the
degenerated disc. Ongoing research includes study of mesenchymal stem
cells (MSCs) and embryonic chondrocytes injected into the degenerated
disc, and identification of patterns of differentiation of cells, and
regeneration of the biochemistry and biomechanics of the intervertebral
disc.
Selected Publications
Berven, SH. Intervertebral disc cell therapy for regeneration: mesenchymal stem cell
implantation in rat intervertebral discs.
Ann Biomed Eng. 2004 Mar;32(3):430-4.
Berven, SH. The effect on anterior column loading due to different vertebral
augmentation techniques.
Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2005 Jan;20(1):25-31.
Information last updated April 2007
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