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Collagen turnover in normal and degenerate human intervertebral discs as determined by the racemization of aspartic acid

This paper resulted from international collaboration with researchers in Israel, Holland and Canada (Eurodisc;QLK6-CT-2002-02582). It demonstrates that the natural turnover of disc matrix (degeneration of which is largely attributed to causing back pain) is incredibly slow, with the half life of one of the main constituents, collagen, being 100 to 200 years, depending on age. This is very relevant to new therapies, indicating that cell therapy techniques might be completely inappropriate but rather that the use of a synthetic biomimetic gel (such as that developed and patented in collaboration with Aston and Oxford Universities; WO2009/12844A2) may be much more appropriate.