ADAMTS	A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs
AF	Annulus fibrosus
BMP	Bone morphogenetic protein
CEP	Cartilage edplate
DD	IVD degeneration
ECM	Extracellular matrix
ER	Endoplasmatic recticulum
ERK	Extracellular signal-regulated kinase
FA	Focal adhesion
FGF	Fibroblast growth factor
GAG	Glycosaminoglycan
GDF	Growth differentiation factor
GF	Growth factor
HIF	Hypoxia inducible factor
IGF	Insulin-like growth factor
IL	Interleukin
IVD	Intervertebral disc
JNK	c-Jun NH2terminal kinase
LBP	Low back pain
MAPK	Mitogen-activated protein kinase
MMP	Metalloproteinase
MP	Microparticle
MSC	Mesenchymal stromal cell
mTOR	Mammalian target of rapamycin
NF-κB	Nuclear factor kappa B
NGF	Nerve growth factor
NP	Nucleus pulposus
p38	p38 MAPK
PCL	Poly-ε-caprolactone
PDGF	Platelet-derived growth factor
PDLLA	Poly D,L-lactide
PEG	Polyethylene glycol
PG	Proteoglycan
PGA	Polyglycolic acid
PKN	Prior-knowledge-network
PLGA	Polylactic-co-glycolic acid
PNIPAM	Poly N-isopropylacrylamide
PU	Polyurethane
TE	Tissue engineering
TGF	Transforming growth factor
TNF-α	Tumor necrosis factor alpha
TonEBP	Tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein
TonEBP/NFAT5	Tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein/nuclear factor of activated T-cells 5
TRP	Transient receptor potential