Understanding Stem Cells in Disc Disease: What This Research Reveals

Scientists Find Stem Cells in Both Herniated and Degenerated Discs

Your spine's intervertebral discs can develop problems in two main ways. Some discs herniate, meaning they bulge or rupture outward. Others degenerate, gradually breaking down over time. Italian researchers wanted to understand if the stem cells inside these damaged discs are different from each other.

They collected disc tissue from 21 patients during spine surgery. Ten patients had herniated discs, while eleven had degenerated discs. The team then isolated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from each sample. MSCs are special cells that can transform into various tissue types, including cartilage.

Disc Stem Cells Show True Regenerative Potential

The researchers confirmed that stem cells from both herniated and degenerated discs behave like genuine MSCs. These cells successfully transformed into three different tissue types in the laboratory:

• Fat cells (adipogenic differentiation)

• Bone cells (osteogenic differentiation)

• Cartilage cells (chondrogenic differentiation)

This matters because it shows your damaged discs still contain cells capable of regeneration. Both cell populations expressed the protein markers that define true mesenchymal stem cells.

One Protein Appears 466 Times Higher in Degenerated Discs

The most striking finding involved a protein called osteopontin (OPN). This protein plays roles in bone formation and tissue breakdown. In stem cells from degenerated discs, osteopontin gene activity was 466 times higher than in herniated disc stem cells.

The researchers could only detect actual osteopontin protein in the degenerated disc samples. It was essentially absent in herniated disc cells. This suggests fundamentally different processes drive these two conditions.

Protein Levels Correlate With Disease Severity

Higher osteopontin levels corresponded with more advanced disc degeneration. Patients with worse disease showed greater osteopontin expression in their disc stem cells. This connection suggests osteopontin may actively contribute to the degenerative process rather than simply appearing as a consequence.

The researchers propose that controlling osteopontin could become a treatment target. Reducing its activity might slow or prevent disc breakdown.

What This Means for Regenerative Treatment Options

This laboratory study reveals important information about the biology inside damaged discs. First, your discs contain living stem cells even when diseased. Second, herniation and degeneration involve different molecular processes.

For patients considering regenerative medicine approaches like Lipogems®, this research provides context. Lipogems® delivers your own adipose-derived stem cells to damaged areas. These cells come from fat tissue, which is rich in regenerative potential. Unlike the cells already in your disc, adipose-derived cells have not been exposed to the disease environment.

Introducing healthy stem cells may help counteract the abnormal processes occurring in degenerated or herniated discs. The regenerative cells in micro-fragmented adipose tissue contain pericytes and MSCs that support tissue repair and healing.

Important Considerations About This Research

This was a laboratory study examining cells outside the body. The researchers did not test treatments or measure patient outcomes. They focused on understanding the underlying biology of disc disease at the cellular level.

The findings help explain why different disc problems might respond differently to various treatments. They also highlight osteopontin as a potential marker for tracking degeneration severity.

Understanding these molecular differences helps researchers develop better targeted therapies. For patients with disc problems, this knowledge supports the scientific basis for regenerative approaches that introduce healthy cells to support healing.

---

Source: Marfia et al., None, 2014.