Insufficient· Insufficient EvidenceNarrative Review

Integrating cells, scaffolds, and molecular regulation: a mechanobiological and translational review of bioengineering therapies for intervertebral disc degeneration.

Hao W., Renchang C., Wa X., Wenhao H., Bingqian Z., Xiqiu Z.

Narrative Review on Back Pain, Disc Degeneration, published in Front Bioeng Biotechnol (2026) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.

This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.

Study type: Narrative Review
Journal: Front Bioeng Biotechnol (2026)
Country: Switzerland
Reported sample size: —
PMID: 42079762
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2026.1803183

Abstract (original English)

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a primary cause of chronic low back pain, severely impacting patients' quality of life. Conventional treatments focus on symptom relief but fail to restore disc structure and function. Recent bioengineering advances offer regenerative solutions, integrating cell therapy, tissue-engineered scaffolds, gene therapy, and mechanobiology. Cell therapy leverages mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow, adipose tissue, or umbilical cord blood, with biomaterial carriers enhancing survival in the harsh disc microenvironment. Scaffolds-natural (collagen, chitosan) or synthetic (PLGA, PCL)-mimic native extracellular matrix (ECM) and provide mechanical support, often combined with growth factors for controlled release. Gene therapy targets ECM synthesis, inflammation, and degradation pathways via viral or non-viral vectors, while mechanobiology reveals how mechanical forces regulate disc cell behavior, guiding scaffold design. Animal models validate these therapies, and early clinical trials show promise in pain reduction and disc height restoration. However, challenges remain, including low cell survival, scaffold mechanical adaptation, and gene delivery safety. Multidisciplinary collaboration is key to translating preclinical progress into effective clinical interventions, addressing the unmet medical need for IDD treatment.

What this study does not prove

• This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
• This is a narrative review: it collects no new patient data and does not systematically appraise evidence quality.

Evidence level

There is currently not enough data to draw conclusions about benefit or risk for this topic.

How we grade evidence

Back & Spine Back Pain Disc Degeneration

View on PubMed DOI

Integrating cells, scaffolds, and molecular regulation: a mechanobiological and translational review of bioengineering therapies for intervertebral disc degeneration.

Abstract (original English)

What this study does not prove

Evidence level

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