The Effect of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 on Rat Intervertebral Disc Cells in Vitro

Abstract

The results of this study show that recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 enhances disc matrix production and chondrocytic phenotype of intervertebral disc cells. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 increases cell proliferation and sulfated-glycosaminoglycan (proteoglycan) synthesis. It increases mRNA of Type II collagen, aggrecan, and Sox9 genes (chondrocyte specific genes), and osteocalcin, but not Type I collagen or glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase.