椎间盘退变（DDD）是腰背痛（LBP）最常见的原因，尚无特异防治方法。再生性修复是维持组织内环境稳定的天然保护机制之一，是否存在于正常椎间盘中，均无报道。我们前期发现正常椎间盘髓核组织存在干细胞，可培养形成细胞克隆集落，体外诱导多能分化。揭示椎间盘髓核干细胞特性及潜在的再生能力，将对髓核细胞及整个椎间盘产生重要影响，从而另辟蹊跷找到DDD防治新方法。本研究在前期基础上，以功能性髓核干细胞亚群为新突破点，研究BMP蛋白激活干细胞从而调节椎间盘再生性修复的具体机制，阐明椎间盘再生性修复的重要意义，及可供干预的靶点。若获成功，将为BMP蛋白调节临床LBP中DDD损伤机制及其防治提供新的证据和思路，有望对椎间盘内源性再生修复机制进行全新阐释，具有重要的科学价值和临床意义。

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is the leading cause of low back pain. Up to date, no therapautic approaches are effective. Regenerative repair is one of the main mechanisms in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. However, it is unknown whether the mechanism occurs in the normal IVD tissue. Our former findings have demonstrated that the progenitor/stem cells exist in the normal IVD tissue. These cells can possess clonogenicity and multipotency. Characterizing stem cell properties and revealing the regenerative capacity will pose great importance to the nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and the whole IVD tissue. Drawing from our former resutls, the work will focus on the functional sub-group of NP cells to study the mechanism of regenerative repiar through the active passway of Bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs). More importantly, the study will provide new evidence to the regenerative effect of BMPs in the treatment of LBP,and shed new light on the endogenous regenerative properties of IVD.