I have examined the effects of a growth factor, transforming growth factor(TGF)-B 1, on the rates of proteoglycan synthesis, aggregation potenital, and phenotypic expression of proteoglycans from human cervical intervertebral discs maintained in a cell culture system. A cell culture system for transitional and nuclear regions of degenerated human cervical intervertebral disc disc was devised to assess the biosynthetic response, assayed by 35S-sulfate incorporation into proteoglycan and protein synthesis assayed by 35S-methionine incorporation. And I had the data as the TGF-B 1 has an effect on the proteoglycan synthesis in quantitative and qualitative analysis in the cell culture system of the human intervertebral disc. TGF-B 1 may be used as a therapeutic alternative to degenerated disc disease.