Viscoelastic properties of human normal nucleus pulposus cells

Abstract

Objective To study the viscoelastic properties of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells from human in vitro. Methods NP was obtained from discarded NP tissue of 3 scoliosis patients aged from 13 to 16 years. Pancreatin and collagenase type Ⅱ were used to digest NP and cells were isolated from NP. Type Ⅱ collagen immunofluorescence and Fan seaing were used to identify NP cells. The micropipette aspiration test was used in combination with a three-parameter viscoelastic solid model to measure the mechanical properties of NP cells. Results The mean diameter of the digested NP cells was ( 15.40 ± 1.83) μm. In response to a prescribed pressure, the NP cells exhibited viscolastic solid creep behavior, which was characterized initially by a jump in displacement followed by a monotony decreasing rate of deformation that generally reached an equilibrium. NP cells were deformed to a length as much as 2 times the radius of the micropipette without completely entering the micropipette. The viscolastic parameters were k1 (0. 101 ±0. 052) kPa, k2 (0. 353 ± 0. 199) kPa, and μ ( 3. 034 ± 1. 843 ) kPa· s, respectively. Only the k1 was positively correlated to the cell diameter (r =-0. 389, P ＜ 0. 05 ). Conclusion Human normal NP cells behave as a typical viscolastic solid creep. Micropipette aspiration technique is a valid method for the study on biomechanics of NP cells. Key words: Nucleus pulposus cells; Biomechanics; Viscoelastic properties