Segmental Variation in the In Vitro Cell Metabolism of Nucleus Pulposus Cells Isolated From a Series of Bovine Caudal Intervertebral Discs

Abstract

The results support the hypothesis that level-specific differences in NP cell metabolism and molecular composition are dependent on spine level potentially reflecting subtle mechanical differences between levels. Retention of level-specific differences in monolayer may suggest a certain level of cell "programming." This may be important for cellular strategies to repairspecific sites of degeneration.