Intervertebral disc progenitor cells: roles in regeneration and disease

• IVD progenitor cells (IVD-PCs) exhibit stemness properties including clonogenicity and multipotent differentiation, positioning them as key cellular reservoirs for disc self-repair. • The IVD microenvironment, encompassing physicochemical, mechanical, and cellular cues, critically regulates IVD-PC fate decisions during homeostasis and degeneration. • Current clinical translation of IVD-PCs is limited by incomplete understanding of their heterogeneity and hierarchical organization, necessitating advanced identification and characterization strategies. • Future therapeutic development should focus on modulating the IVD niche to guide endogenous progenitor cell behavior for effective disc regeneration.