The role of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and bioactive hydrogels in promoting regeneration of degenerated intervertebral discs
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is one of the main causes of chronic low back pain. In severe cases, surgical removal of the protruding disc is required in the late stages. Given the limited self-regeneration ability of the nucleus pulposus, a regenerative repair method remains necessary. In this study, a double-network hydrogel based on oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA) and dopamine-modified gelatin (GelDA) was developed and combined with umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) for repairing IDD. The hydrogel exhibited excellent mechanical properties, biodegradability, and a gel-like structure mimicking that of the intervertebral disc, thereby promoting UC-MSC proliferation and differentiation. In addition, the hydrogel also exhibited antibacterial and self-healing properties. In a rat model of IDD, the OHA-GelDA@UC-MSCs hydrogel was shown to slow down the progression of disc degeneration.
Source: Advanced Orthopaedics
Authors: Jiaxiang Zhou, Jianmin Wang, Zhuo Song, Zhongyuan He, Zhen Li, Jiale Shao, Yukun Du, Jianyi Li, Wei Zhang, Cairong Li, Qiuxiao Tan, Zhiyu Zhou, JianFeng Li, Manman Gao, Yongming Xi
Institutions: The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Yantaishan Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Fuzhou Second Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid:
OpenAlex ID: W4410384452