Design of polymers and bioreactors in the development of a tissue engineering strategy for degenerative disc disease

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The major challenge addressed in the proposed program is the design, synthesis, and testing of new polymeric biomaterials and bioreactors to be used for the development of a new treatment for degenerative intervertebral disc disease. The intervertebral disc is the connective tissue between the vertebral bones of the spine. It holds the verterbrae together, absorbs compressive loads, and allows the spine to rotate, bend, and twist. Degeneration of the intervertebral disc is a common source of chronic pain and reduced quality of life in people over the age of 40. About 12 million patients are diagnosed with this condition annually in North America. Treatment is typically palliative; however, in ~ 10% of these patients, surgery is ultimately necessary. Current surgical methods provide temporary relief, and do not repair the damaged disc. A treatment methodology is proposed that involves removing the degenerating tissue, and replacing it with regenerative cells delivered within a polymer biomaterial that can form a cell supportive depot while providing mechanical support to the damaged disc. The regenerative cells will ultimately produce replacement tissue while at the same time the polymer biomaterial degrades. The regenerative cells will be obtained from stem cells isolated from fat. These stem cells will be induced to become cells typical of the centre of the intervertebral disc (nucleus pulposus cells) in a bioreactor for this purpose designed based on the cell and tissue biology of the disc. The polymer biomaterials used to deliver the cells will be designed to support and substantiate the transformed stem cells into nucleus pulposus cells while ultimately degrading into products that are biocompatible and readily eliminated from the body.**