Interactions between cells and extracellular matrix in nucleus pulposus degeneration
10.3760/cma.j.cn115396-20251012-00246
- VernacularTitle:椎间盘髓核退变中细胞与细胞外基质的相互作用
- Author:
Tianqi FAN
1
;
Haoyu LIU
;
Bin ZHU
Author Information
1. 首都医科大学附属北京友谊医院骨科，北京 100050
- Keywords:
Intervertebral disc;
Nucleus pulposus;
Aggrecans;
Extracellular matrix;
Osmotic pressure
- From:
International Journal of Surgery
2025;52(11):734-741
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
One of the earliest hallmarks of intervertebral disc degeneration is the decrease in nucleus pulposus (NP) water content, which is fundamentally driven by the loss and structural alteration of extracellular matrix (ECM) aggrecan. At its core, the true determinant of NP degeneration lies in the imbalance between cells and the ECM. During the transition from notochordal cells to mature NP cells, reductions in cell density and matrix synthesis capacity lead to an inherently diminished ability to produce and renew aggrecan. Subsequently, inflammation, acidification, abnormal mechanical loading, and hypotonic microenvironments further disturb aggrecan’s structure, expression, and aggregation state through cellular mechanosensing and transcriptional regulation. These processes decrease the fixed charge density and osmotic pressure of the NP, thereby weakening its hydration, load-bearing, and resilience capacities. This review focuses on the NP microenvironment, using aggrecan as the central molecular anchor, to summarize recent advances in NP research. By integrating insights from microstructural alterations, imaging changes, and therapeutic strategies, this work aims to provide a comprehensive reference for understanding and managing the progression of NP degeneration.
