Decellularized bovine IVD used as a scaffold for Tissue Engineering

Currently several choices of scaffolds exist for tissue engineering purposes. Whereas a lot of works are done in the development of new material and hydrogels, very few efforts are spent for using decellularized ECM as scaffold for intervertebral disc replacement. Indeed, there is no study of using decellularized (allogenic or xenogenic) nucleus or annulus for replacement, but only one study of using porcine Small intestine submucosa (SIS) as a scaffold for human disc cells. The goal of this project is to evaluate decellularized bovine IVD as a potential scaffold used in disc engineering.