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Abstract

Biology

Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration

Published: July 8th, 2021

DOI:

10.3791/62594

1Laboratory of Cell Biology, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University Hospital of Tübingen, 2Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University Hospital of Tübingen, 3Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics, Faculty of science of the University of Tübingen, 4Medical faculty of the University of Tübingen, 5Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority

Abstract

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a leading cause of low back pain and it entails a high degree of impairment for the affected individuals. To decode disc degeneration and to be able to develop regenerative approaches a thorough understanding of the cellular biology of the IVD is essential. One aspect of this biology that still remains unanswered is the question of how cells are spatially arranged in a physiological state and during degeneration. The biological properties of the IVD and its availability make this tissue difficult to analyze. The present study investigates spatial chondrocyte organization in the anulus fibrosus from early embryonic development to end-stage degeneration. An optical sectioning method (Apotome) is applied to perform high resolution staining analyses using bovine embryonic tissue as an animal model and human disc tissue obtained from patients undergoing spine surgery. From a very high chondrocyte density in the early embryonic bovine disc, the number of cells decreases during gestation, growth, and maturation. In human discs, an increase in cellular density accompanied the progression of tissue degeneration. As had already been demonstrated in articular cartilage, cluster formation represents a characteristic feature of advanced disc degeneration.

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Keywords Optical Sectioning

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