The development of artificial nucleus pulposus using the soluble collagen for the treatment of intervertebral disk displacement.

本研究利用明胶溶解胶原蛋白后制备人工髓核进行了基础研究，由于明胶溶液在接近体温时呈液态，不具有髓核所具有的凝胶强度。加入交联剂（钾明矾）。明胶溶液，使得明胶可以在体温附近胶凝。将明胶凝胶在40 ℃下保存并测量凝胶强度。结果表明，随着保存时间的延长，凝胶强度下降，凝胶溶解。使用防腐剂以防止分解。虽然凝胶强度的下降速度减慢，但加入防腐剂后，凝胶强度的下降并不能阻止。然后，使用其他交联剂进行实验。交联剂A、B、C的加入使胶凝强度比钾明矾提高，胶凝强度下降的时间延长。结果表明，凝胶在40 ℃下长期保存是困难的，但凝胶强度随时间的延长而降低，因此，在本研究中，我们开发了一种控制凝胶分子量分布的新方法。研究了一种富含α和β组分的明胶的制备方法;将明胶溶液加压并高速喷射，以使其中的高分子量组分裂解。将来，生物体中的接近条件被各种设计，并使用控制分子量分布的明胶，利用分子量分布可控的明胶进行人工髓核的研究将继续下去。

We carried out the basic research for the preparation of artificial nucleus pulposus using the gelatin which the collagen was solubilized.Gelatin has no gel strength as nucleus pulposus, because gelatin solution is in liquid state near die body temperature. The crosslinking agent (the potassium alum) was added to. the gelatin solution so that the gelatin may gel near the body temperature. The gelatin gel was preserved at 40ﾟC and the gel strength Was measured. It was proven that the gel strength decreased when the preservation period is lengthened, and that the gel resolves. Antiseptic was used in order to prevent the decomposition. Though the diminution rate of gel strength slowed down, when antiseptics were added, die decrease in the gel strength could not be prevented. Then, the experiment was carried out using other crosslinking agents. The gel strength in addition of crosslinking agent, such as A or B or C, rose than potassium alum and the period for the decrease in the gel strength was lengthened. However, the gel strength decreased when die gel was preserved for a long time at 40ﾟC.From the above result, it was proven that the gel saving for a long time at 40ﾟC was difficult.In the process of this research, we developed a new method for controlling the molecular weight distribution of die gelatin. We developed a method for preparation the gelatin in which in alpha and beta components are rich ; pressurizing the gelatin solution and jetting it at high speed so that die high molecular weight component in it may cleave.In the future, die condition near in the organism being variously devised, and using the gelatin which controlled die molecular weight distribution, the research of artificial nucleus pulposus using the gelatin whose molecular weight distribution is controlled will be kept.