SCOLIOSIS: A 50-YEAR EXPERIENCE OF RESEARCH
Abstract
Despite the centuries-old history of the existence of idiopathic scoliosis, the etiologic factor of the pathology remains unknown. In the presented work it is shown for the first time that the asymmetry of growth and the formation of spinal deformity is associated with the phenotype violation of the growth plate cells of vertebral bodies in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Objective: to identify the gene phenotype of the growth plate cells of the vertebral bodies in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Material and methods. The cells were isolated from vertebral body growth plates on convex and concave sides of deformity in 50 operated patients with idiopathic scoliosis, and cultured. Cultured cells were identified by methods of morphology, neuromorphology, immunohistochemistry and PCR analysis. Results. The growth plate cells from the convex side of deformity were identified as chondroblasts. Those cells from the concave side were identified as neuro- and glioblasts. These cells formed synapses, contained neurofilaments, and expressed neural and glial proteins, respectively. Based on the results of the study, hypotheses were proposed on variations of clinical course of idiopathic scoliosis. Probable causes of localization of neural genesis cells on the concave side of the deformity are discussed. Conclusion. Ectopic localization of the neural crest-derived cells in the vertebral body growth plate is the etiological factor of scoliotic disease.
Key words
Zaydman A.M. – doctor of medical sciences, professor, honored worker of science, chief researcher, head of the functional groups of pathomorphology and theoretical studies in spine surgeries of the laboratory-experimental department, e-mail: AZaydman@niito.ru
