Nucleus pulposus is the jelly-like substance in the middle of the intervertebral disc. It functions to distribute hydraulic pressure in all directions within each disc under compressive loads. The nucleus pulposus consists of collagen fibrils, proteoglycan aggrecans and nucleus pulposus cells. The nucleus pulposus cells reside in an environment that has a limited vascular supply and generate energy through anaerobic glycolysis. The cells synthesize collagen II and X; express hypoxia-inducible factor-1, and secrete interleukins-1, -6, and -10 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in culture. Mechanical stress on nucleus pulposus cells promotes cell proliferation. The nucleus pulposus cell culture provides an in vitro model for the study of cellular and molecular events involved in disc degeneration, tissue engineering and cell therapy for spine disc disorders.HNPC from AcceGen Research Laboratories are isolated from nucleus pulposus of human intervertibral disc. HNPC are cryopreserved at primary or passage one culture and delivered frozen. Each vial contains >5×10^5 cells in 1 ml volume. HNPC are characterized by immunofluorescent method with antibodies to fibronectin and vimentin. HNPC are negative for HIV-1, HBV, HCV, mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast and fungi. HNPC are guaranteed to further expand for 15 population doublings in the condition provided by AcceGen Research Laboratories.

For research use only