Researchers at New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medicine discovered a new stem cell that could affect spine care.
The findings, published in Nature, uncovered vetebral stem cells that are uniquely present in the spine, according to a Sept. 21 news release from HSS. It was previously believed that all bones formed through ossification, but the collaborative reserach team found that certain vertebral skeletel stem cells have a key role in the development of spinal vertebrae.
The stem cell that was discovered was found to be responsible for bone formation in vertebrae.
The implication and potential applications of this finding is vast, according to Sravisht Iyer, MD, a spine surgeon with HSS.
"Understanding how vertebrae develop will help us more effectively treat patients, screen them before surgical intervention, and will ultimately lead to more effective preventive care and optimized bone health," Dr. Iyer said in the release. "The identification of this unique stem cell in the spine has the potential to significantly enhance our patients' outcomes in spine fusion surgery ... because it may allow for us to screen for problems ahead of time. The findings may also advance care for people with osteoporosis and, specifically, the 30 percent to 50 percent of the global population who suffer a vertebral fracture at some point in their lives."