CELLULAR DELIVERY OF RAT INTERVERTEBRAL DISC CELLS IN DISC DEGENERATION MODEL

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Our goal is to investigate the delivery of rat intervertebral disc (IVD) cells in a rat model of disc degeneration. The cells will be delivered to live rat tails (IVD) percutaneously. The cells will be labelled with a fluorescent marker (nanoparticles, Kodak optical imager) to allow us to define the specific location of the implanted cells. We also aim to define the migratory patterns of the injected cells to assist in developing improved methods of cell delivery to IVD. The ability to track implanted cells over a time course will be a significant addition to ongoing efforts in improving cell based delivery methods. Cells may be delivered alone or with a cell delivery vehicle (hydrogel scaffold) developed in our laboratory to maintain the implanted cells in the desired locations. We will plan a longitutional imaging study where the implanted cells will be imaged at 24hrs, 3 days, 7 days and 14 days to determine both the duration of labeling as well as migratory patterns of implanted cells.