Helen E Gruber

..Myocilin may have such functions within the disc cell population in a manner similar to tenascin, SPARC and thrombospondin, which are other matricellular proteins recently shown to be present in the disc...

..healthier discs. Findings document the first identification of MMP-26 in the disc at the molecular and protein levels. Results point to the potentially important role of MMP-26 in matrix modulation during disc health and degeneration...

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..Techniques presented here have the potential to produce quantitative algorithms that create more accurate and informative measurements in a time efficient manner...

..Despite this knowledge being available, there has been minimal research linking breast cancer, arthritis, and metastasis associated with breast cancer. Notably both diseases are extremely prevalent in older post-menopausal women...

..Discs were also studied from the lumbar spine of the sand rat. Experimental studies were approved by the authors' Human Subjects Institutional Review Board and animal use committee...

..In the present study we have examined thrombospondin-2 (TSP-2), a matricellular protein with recognized anti-angiogenic activity in vivo and in vitro...

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..Cultured human disc cells were also tested for production of PAPP-A...

..This model is used here to evaluate disc degeneration, disc cell viability, and vertebral end plate bone mineral density (BMD) in lumbar sites...

..Senescent cell are viable, metabolically active, persist, and accumulate over time, but cannot divide. Little is known about the relationship between renewal of the disc cell population via cell proliferation and disc cell senescence...

..24,25-D3 was also analyzed. Studies were approved by the authors' Human Subjects Institutional Review Board. Discs were obtained from surgical specimens and from control donors...

..For the annulus, such coordination probably involves cell-cell communication as well as growth factor and mechanoreceptor signaling to appropriately maintain the disc extracellular matrix (ECM) for the prevention of annular tears...

..Lumbar vertebral segments from a large cross-sectional population of male and female sand rats were assessed for quantitative determination of lumbar endplate bone mineral density (BMD) and radiologic features...

..In articular cartilage matrix, crystal deposits are associated with altered extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell phenotypic features, but crystal deposition in the human intervertebral disc has received much less attention...

..Experimental studies were approved by the authors' Human Subjects Institutional Review Board. Discs were obtained from surgical specimens or control donors...

..Five Thompson Grade I/II discs (Group 1), 7 Grade III discs (Group 2), and 3 Grade IV discs (Group IV) were studied here in a project approved by the authors' Human Subjects Institutional Review Board...

..It participates in bone remodeling and acts as a growth factor stimulating proliferation. Expression of leptin and the presence of leptin receptors have not been explored in disc tissue...

..Results indicate the need for future studies to address why such specialized matrix regions form around certain disc cells and to determine the consequences of these unusual matrix regions on annular lamellar organization and function...

..treated, 39.6% +/- 6.6 (9), p = 0.0009). These novel findings point to the value of continued research towards development of future biologic therapies designed to reduce cell senescence in degenerating human discs...

..Since extracellular matrix remodeling is a critical component of disc structure and biomechanical function, we hypothesized that cathepsin K and RANKL may be present in the human intervertebral disc...

..We hypothesize that mitochondrial dysfunction is present in the degenerating and senescent annulus cells. The objective of the present study was to analyze gene expression profiles related to mitochondrial function in vivo...

..Such information may have application as we work towards biologic therapies to improve the aging/degenerating disk matrix...

..Data reported here point to the importance of additional work to elucidate the role of PAPP-A in intervertebral disc aging and degeneration...

..The objective of the present study was to determine if cells from more degenerated discs expressed different genes, or differed in their expression patterns, compared with patterns of cells from healthier discs...

..04). Data indicated that human AD-MSC can successfully be manipulated in 3D culture to express gene products important in the disc, and that coculture of annulus cells with AD-MSC enhances total GAG production...

..Micromass culture was assessed as a cell culture microenvironment for anulus cells from the human intervertebral disc...

..Molecular analysis of senescent cells in tissue offers a special challenge since there are no cell surface markers for senescence which would let one use fluorescence-activated cell sorting as a method for separating out senescent cells...

..Traditional double embedding techniques, such as the use of agar, are also cited...

..Recent work has shown that mechanical compression can act to modulate expression of MMP28. The expression of MMP28 is unexplored in the intervertebral disc...

..Little is known about EGF and its regulation in human annulus cells. Previous work has identified EGF and its receptor in control outer annulus disc tissue, but not in herniated tissue...

..Ethical issues related to digital imaging and other current topics also are discussed with reference to available online resources...

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..There have been no studies, however, of this gene's normal immunohistochemical localization within the human intervertebral disc, or of expression levels in Caucasian individuals with disc degeneration...

..Studies were approved by the authors' Human Subjects Institutional Review Board. Human anulus cells were tested for growth and extracellular matrix (ECM) production in vitro...

..The sand rat is well-suited for use in spine fusion studies because of reliable/reproducible progression of disc degeneration and the favourable economics of small rodent studies...

..Studies were approved by the authors' Human Subjects Institutional Review Board and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee...

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..Lumbar vertebral segments from young and old male sand rats were assessed for quantitative determination of lumbar end plate bone mineral density...

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..Experimental studies were approved by the authors' Human Subjects Institutional Review Board...

..Experimental studies were approved by the authors' Human Subjects Institutional Review Board. Discs were obtained from surgical specimens and from control donors...

..Statistical multiple regression analyses were applied to develop mathematic models relating proliferation to age, gender, Thompson score (denoting stage of disc degeneration), and status (control donor [postmortem]; surgical patient)...

..The Human Subjects Institutional Review Board approved experimental studies. Discs were obtained from surgical specimens and from control donors...

..Consistent with the connective tissue deficits observed in other tissues of SPARC-null mice, our findings support a fundamental role for SPARC in the production, assembly, or maintenance of the disc extracellular matrix...

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..94+/-2.20 (19) microg/ml S-GAG (mean+/-S.D. (n)) vs. 0.94+/-0.77 (22), respectively, p=0.0003), this is off-set by the significantly lower proliferation rate associated with culture of disc cells in agarose...

..Because MMP-19 has been shown to regulate IGF-mediated proliferation in other tissues, its decline in the aging/degenerating disc may contribute to the age-related decrease in disc cell numbers...

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..This study sought to examine calcium deposition in OA meniscus and to investigate OA meniscal cell-mediated calcium deposition. The hypothesis was that OA meniscal cells may play a role in pathological meniscal calcification...

..This study sought: 1) to determine the prevalence of meniscal degeneration in OA patients, and 2) to examine gene expression in OA meniscal cells compared to normal meniscal cells...

..Little is known about how disc cells attach, proliferate and form extracellular matrix (ECM) within carrier materials. Such information is needed to help formulate criteria for successful cell-carrier interactions in tissue engineering...

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..Work presented here used a small animal model to illustrate the feasibility of autologous disc cell implantation...

..This report is composed of two studies, one cross-sectional and one prospective cohort study, that analyze the radiologic features of disc degeneration in the sand rat (Psammomys obesus)...

..These findings are not only important for a better understanding of the disease process but also important for the development of novel structure-modifying drugs for OA therapy...

..There have been many advances over the past decade in understanding and experimentally modulating biologic aspects of intervertebral disc cell function. An overview of the current state of this biologic research is presented...

..Histologic evidence from this study also underscores the fact that physeal bar formation occurs from the migration of osteoblasts and osteoclasts along vertical septa...

..Experimental studies were approved by the authors' Human Subjects Institutional Review Board. Discs were obtained from surgical specimens and control donors...

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..Recent in vivo studies utilizing ASC are discussed giving results on defect repair and potential for clinical orthopaedic tissue regeneration...

..Osteoblast markers such as collagen, osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase activity, and mineralized nodule formation were increased on Ti alloy coated with bacteria compared to uncoated surfaces...

..Culture of annulus cells in the presence of 10-7 M 17-beta-estradiol significantly increased cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide new insight into the biology of cells in the annulus of the intervertebral disc...

..The mutant mouse represents a valuable model to further elucidate the functions of FKRP and develop therapies for FKRP-related muscular dystrophies...

..Dietary magnesium (Mg) deficiency in the mouse perturbs bone and mineral homeostasis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate bone mineral density of the femur in control and Mg-deficient mice...

..These details reveal variations within the tissue that would not be apparent with routine stains...

..Results support the use of three-dimensional culture systems for in vitro evaluation of human disc cell function and expand our understanding of the in vitro behavior of these cells...

..New Brunswick, NJ), and a combination of leuprolide with Interceed in a rabbit uterine horn adhesion model...

..The administration of these cytokines may have future therapeutic potential in the treatment of disc degeneration...

..This information is useful for future tissue engineering studies that have the challenging goal of selectively modulating gene expression...

..The authors of this study analyzed immunohistochemical distributions of Types I, II, III and VI collagen, in situ localization of apoptotic disc cells, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase localization...

..Our results indicate the need for further studies of the anti-apoptotic effect of TB4 and suggest that TB4 may have therapeutic application in future biological therapies for disc degeneration...

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..This study examines the changes in the histologic features of the rat proximal tibial physis, epiphysis, and metaphysis after a physeal fracture and identifies key factors associated with physeal bar formation...

..Studies such as the current investigation with cultured cells from the anulus show the importance of a greater understanding concerning antibiotic effects on disc cell proliferation and metabolism...

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..CONCLUSIONS: The use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 implanted using a Type I collagen carrier resulted in 100% fusion without adverse effects...

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..CFSE labeling is relatively easy, nontoxic to cells and nonradiocactive. Initial optimization of dose with specific cells types is recommended when confirmation of positive immunocytochemistry is needed for tissue engineering studies...

..These studies provide additional information on the fundamental cell biology of the disc cell and provide an additional framework for understanding aging, degeneration and potential repair of the human disc...

..No normal compensatory mechanism was elicited to maintain bone mass. Results stress renewed concern about the effects of cumulative, low-level lead exposure in our elderly population...

..This report is presented to help clarify the ambiguity found in the laboratory animal literature about the differences in the size of R. nana among rodent species used in research...

..Understanding the role played by the collagen VI aggregates in normal and pathological conditions will help to throw light on the pathologies with which they are associated...

..These data demonstrated that a Mg intake of 10% of NR in rats causes bone loss that may be secondary to the increased release of substance P and TNF-alpha...

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..In this paper, we will review animal and human evidence of the association of Mg deficiency with osteoporosis and explore possible mechanisms by which this may occur...

..These data demonstrate that Mg intake of 25% NR in the rat causes lower bone mass which may be related to increased release of substance P and TNFalpha...