Design of Printable Gelatin Microgel and Stem Cell-based Composite Bioink for Repairing Degenerated Intervertebral Discs
Principal Investigator: Yong Huang, PhD
The overarching goal of this pilot study was to design and evaluate a gelatin microgel and stem cell-based printable bioink as a delivery system for the repair and regeneration of age-related degenerative intervertebral discs (IVDs) for personal mobility and independence. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is an age-related condition that happens when one or more of the discs between the vertebrae of the spinal column deteriorate or even break down. As a natural occurrence that comes with aging, it may lead to lower back pain and even immobility due to weakness, numbness, and pain that radiates down the leg, resulting in disability. As a minimally invasive approach, the cell-therapy approach aims to address disc inflammation by inhibiting aberrant cytokine production as well as disc rehydration and height restoration by initiating matrix anabolism and repopulating native cells. While the cell-therapy approach needs a unified understanding of the disease mechanism of degeneration and useful interpretation of clinical evaluations, clinical trials also call for effective delivery systems of therapeutic cells, which is the subject of the study. This pilot study provided a novel gelatin microgel-based self-supported cell delivery system to repair degenerated IVDs for their better regeneration by integrating engineering and biology to create a cost- effective and safe cell therapy for IVD regeneration. Such a printable stem-cell therapy will help improve the mobility and independence of seniors who are disabled due to IDD-induced weakness, numbness, and back pain that radiates down the leg. We further envision that the delivery system using the proposed printable self-supporting cellular bioink can be explored as a much-needed reliable and cost- efficient stem-cell therapy to facilitate in situ tissue repair and wound healing applications.