A Study Comparing the Safety and Effectiveness of Cartilage Cell Injected Into the Lumbar Disc as Compared to a Placebo

Inclusion Criteria: * Subject is able to provide informed consent and must sign the Institutional Review Board approved Informed Consent Form; * Is at least 21 years of age; * Have central low back pain aggravated by movement and or postural changes (standing/sitting); * Have had back pain for at least 6 months, and have failed conservative management * One Grade III or IV (Pfirrmann Scale) degenerated lumbar disc; Exclusion Criteria: * Current disc extrusion at any level in their lumbar spine; disc bulges or protrusions at any level in the lumbar spine resulting in nerve root compression; * Severe disc narrowing (equal to or more than 50% loss of disc height at the targeted level); * Type II or III Modic changes at any level; * Type I Modic changes at any level other than the targeted level; * Type I Modic changes at the treated level if maximum height of the changes is 25% or more of the vertebral body height; * Osteoporotic compression fracture at any vertebral level; * Lumbar Scheurmann's disease; * Antero or retrolisthesis ≥ 3mm at any level; * Currently experiencing chronic pain generating from any other source, which (in the judgment of the investigator) may interfere with the evaluation of back pain, and or disability; * Infection at the planned treatment site, history of systemic or local infection, which (in the investigator's judgment) may compromise subject participation and/or safety; * Currently diagnosed with immune-deficiency, which in the investigator's opinion may compromise subject participation and/or safety; * Receiving any immune-suppressant therapies other than short term steroid preparations; * BMI≥40; * Diagnosed with any comorbid conditions including: abnormal bleeding, AIDS, diabetes, hepatic or renal disease, and cardiopulmonary disorders such as COPD, MI and CHF; active malignancy or history of malignancy, or diseases of bone metabolism, which in the investigator's opinion may compromise subject participation and/or safety; * Has a history of alcoholism, medication or intravenous drug abuse, psychosis, is a prisoner, has a personality disorder(s), poor motivation, emotional or intellectual issues that would likely make the subject unreliable for the study, or 3 or more Waddell Signs of nonorganic Behavior or any combination of variables in the Investigator's judgment that should exclude a potential subject; * Has pending litigation against a health care professional, except where required by the insurer as a condition of coverage, personal injury compensation or litigation claims; * Has active or pending workers' compensation claims; * Has contraindications for MRI.