M. Tryfonidou

Recapitulating the notochord to nucleus pulposus transition from human mesendoderm progenitors in 3D

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, a major cause of low back pain, is driven by the disruption of nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue homeostasis. The NP arises from embryonic notochord cells that differentiate and adapt to the hypoxic, matrix-rich environment of the developing disc. Recapitulating the developmental traj...

Degenerated intervertebral disc environment impairs notochordal cell-derived extracellular vesicles release and their matrix anabolic effect

Single-cell multi-omics defines H3K27me3 remodelling in intervertebral disc degeneration with implications for regenerative intervention

This study demonstrates that eliminating repressive histone marks, together with CRISPR-mediated gene transactivation, enhances TBXT gene expression in human NPCs derived from degenerated aged discs.

CRISPR activation reveals SOX5/6/9 as key transcriptional regulators directing iPSC-derived cells toward a notochordal lineage

This study demonstrates the integration of CRISPRa with single-cell technologies as a powerful platform for investigating and enriching iPSC-derived NCs, supporting future regenerative strategies across various fields.