Elastic Fibers in the Intervertebral Disc: From Form to Function and toward Regeneration

Despite extensive efforts over the past 40 years, there is still a significant gap in knowledge of the characteristics of elastic fibers in the intervertebral disc (IVD). More studies are required to clarify the potential contribution of elastic fibers to the IVD (healthy and diseased) function and recommend critical areas for future investigations. On the other hand, current IVD in-vitro models are not true reflections of the complex biological IVD tissue and the role of elastic fibers has often been ignored in developing relevant tissue-engineered scaffolds and realistic computational models. This has affected the progress of IVD studies (tissue engineering solutions, biomechanics, fundamental biology) and translation into clinical practice. Motivated by the current gap, the current review paper presents a comprehensive study (from the early 1980s to 2022) that explores the current understanding of structural (multi-scale hierarchy), biological (development and aging, elastin content, and cell-fiber interaction), and biomechanical properties of the IVD elastic fibers, and provides new insights into future investigations in this domain.

Automated summary

Despite 40 years of extensive research efforts, there is still a significant knowledge gap regarding the characteristics of elastic fibers in the intervertebral disc (IVD). Current in-vitro models do not accurately represent the complex biological IVD tissue, and the role of elastic fibers has been overlooked in the development of tissue-engineered scaffolds and computational models. This review paper provides a comprehensive study of the structural, biological, and biomechanical properties of IVD elastic fibers, and offers insights for future investigations in this field.