A needle micro-osmometer for determination of glycosaminoglycan concentration in excised nucleus pulposus tissue

Journal article

Purpose: Aggrecan is one of the major macromolecular components of the intervertebral disc (IVD) and its loss is an early sign of degeneration. Restoration of aggrecan, and hence of biomechanical properties, is a major objective of biological therapies. At present, assessment of aggrecan concentration via its glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content is accomplished using biochemical and histological methods which require sacrifice of tissue. A minimally invasive method for assessing GAG, and hence agg...

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Authors: Sivan, S; Merkher, Y; Wachtel, E; Urban, J; Lazary, A

• Journal: European Spine Journal
• Volume: 22
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 1765-1773
• Publication date: 2013-08-01
• DOI: 10.1007/s00586-013-2714-8
• EISSN: 1432-0932
• ISSN: 0940-6719
• Language: English
• Keywords: Swelling pressure; Fixed charge density (FCD); Intervertebral disc (IVD); Micro-osmometry; Microdialysis