Mesenchymal stem cell response to a pH challenge with applications to intervertebral disc repair

TL;DRAbstract

INTRODUCTION: The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for treatment of degenerative disc disease offers promise but is complicated by the harsh cellular microenvironment of the intervertebral disc (IVD), one main characteristic being its acidic pH. However, the behavior of MSCs to varying pH environments remains largely uninvestigated and is the purpose of this study. The first hypothesis is that gene expression, proliferation and viability will be influenced by pH in a dose-dependent way, either with a progressive change or a threshold. The second hypothesis is that MSCs from younger donors will have a greater ability to adapt to changing pH levels than those from older donors. The clinical relevance is to determine how different acidity levels affect MSC behavior in order to establish if certain pH values exist when there is optimal likelihood of successful biological repair.

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