Generating a Pro-Inflammatory Organ Culture Model to Simulate an Early Intervertebral Disc Disease

Source: Saravi, B., et al. A Proinflammatory, Degenerative Organ Culture Model to Simulate Early-Stage Intervertebral Disc Disease. J. Vis. Exp. (2021). This video demonstrates a technique for culturing bovine intervertebral discs in bioreactors to develop a three-dimensional organ culture model. Specific nutrient-deprived media and degenerative pressure conditions are applied to the discs, mimicking the pro-inflammatory and degenerative microenvironment observed during early-stage intervertebral disc disease. The disc heights are measured post-treatment to analyze the effects of nutrient deprivation and degenerative loading.