Thermosensitive scaffold was suggested for the partial replacement of nucleus in degenerated intervertebral disc with a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Biocompatible and thermosensitive scaffolds were prepared by coupling reaction of Pluronic with chitosan and it was inserted in degenerative spinal motion segments. To confirm the regeneration of degenerative discs and subsequent structural stability, cell proliferation and morphological changes were evaluated using relaxation time, quantity of DNA and histological examination. As a result, inserted group showed higher relaxation time, reduced the decrement of DNA contents, and accumulated GAG amount. The results confirmed the potential of thermosensitive scaffolds and minimally invasive surgical procedure for the regeneration of degenerative discs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.