Tissue engineering. Part A
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To investigate whether the intervention of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells or human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene-transfected NP cells can prevent the degeneration process after allograft total disc transplantation. ⋯ The present study demonstrated that NP cells or hTERT-loaded NP cells intervention could effectively resist the degeneration of the allogenic transplanted intervertebral discs in a beagle model. The hTERT-loaded NP cells had a better antidegeneration effect on the transplanted disc than NP cells. This modified disc regeneration technique through NP cell injection or manipulation may have the potential to ensure the long-term function preservation of allograft disc transplantation.