Description

Nucleus pulposus is the jelly-like substance in the middle of the intervertebral disc. It functions to distribute hydraulic pressure in all directions within each disc under compressive loads. The nucleus pulposus consists of collagen fibrils, proteoglycan aggrecans and nucleus pulposus cells. The nucleus pulposus cells reside in an environment that has a limited vascular supply and generate energy through anaerobic glycolysis. The cells synthesize collagen II and X; express hypoxia-inducible factor-1 [1]; and secrete interleukins-1, -6, and -10 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in culture [2]. Mechanical stress on nucleus pulposus cells promotes cell proliferation [3]. The nucleus pulposus cell culture provides an in vitro model for the study of cellular and molecular events involved in disc degeneration, tissue engineering and cell therapy for spine disc disorders.

HNPC from ScienCell Research Laboratories are isolated from nucleus pulposus of human intervertibral disc. HNPC are cryopreserved at primary or passage one culture and delivered frozen. Each vial contains >5 x 10^5 cells in 1 ml volume. HNPC are characterized by immunofluorescent method with antibodies to fibronectin and vimentin. HNPC are negative for HIV-1, HBV, HCV, mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast and fungi. HNPC are guaranteed to further expand for 15 population doublings in the condition provided by ScienCell Research Laboratories.

Recommended Medium

It is recommended to use Nucleus Pulposus Cell Medium (NPCM, Cat. No. 4801) for the culturing of HNPC in vitro.

Product Use

HNPC are for research use only. It is not approved for human or animal use, or for application in in vitro diagnostic procedures.

Storage

Directly and immediately transfer cells from dry ice to liquid nitrogen upon receiving and keep the cells in liquid nitrogen until cell culture needed for experiments.

Shipping

Dry ice.

Reference

[1]. A Agrawal, A Guttapalli, S Narayan, TJ. Albert, IM. Shapiro, and MV. Risbud (2007) Normoxic stabilization of HIF-1? drives glycolytic metabolism and regulates aggrecan gene expression in nucleus pulposus cells of the rat intervertebral disk. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 293: C621-C631.
[2]. K Torsten, N Thomas, G Christoph, G Tatiana (2005) Human Anulus Fibrosis and Nucleus Pulposus Cells of the Intervertebral Disc: Effect of Degeneration and Culture System on Cell Phenotype. Spine 30(24):2743-2748.
[3]. M Takuji, K Mamoru, K Koichi, T Toru, T Tetsuya (1999) Cyclic Mechanical Stretch Stress Increases the Growth Rate and Collagen Synthesis of Nucleus Pulposus Cells In Vitro. Spine 24(4):315-319.