Current developments in tissue engineering of nucleus pulposus for the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration

The main cause for back pain is considered to be the degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc (IVD). Some evidence indicates that IVD degeneration originates from the nucleus pulposus (NP). The IVD does not possess self repair capacity. Current treatment options range from pain management to invasive procedures. The science of disc cell transplantation is still in its infancy. Advancement in bioengineering based upon tissue engineering techniques may offer the possibility of repairing damaged disc, if an engineered NP with the appropriate functional properties can be generated to augment the degenerated disc. This is likely to require triaxial stimulation of tissue engineering constructs.