James Melrose

TL;DR: Although animal models are invaluable to increase the understanding of disc biology, care must be taken when used to study human disc degeneration and much more effort is needed to facilitate research on human disc material.

TL;DR: The pro-angiogenic capacities of perlecan that involve proliferative and migratory signals in response to bound growth factors will be explored, as well as the anti-angIogenic signals resulting from interactions between the C-terminal domain known as endorepellin and integrins that control adhesion of cells to the extracellular matrix.

TL;DR: The ovine anular lesion model of disc degeneration is a useful experimental model for the systematic evaluation of nerve and blood vessel development after anular injury and early focal depletion 3–12 months postoperation of glycosaminoglycan was demonstrated.

TL;DR: This review focuses onADAMTS enzymes that degrade the lectican and small leucine-rich repeat families of proteoglycans, and discusses the known ADAMTS cleavage sites and the consequences of cleavage at these sites.

TL;DR: Data show that perlecans immunopurified from three cellular sources possess different HS structures and subsequently different FGF-2 binding and activating capabilities, and that subtle changes in structure including secondary interactions have a profound effect on biological activity.