MUC1 and familial pancreatic carcinoma: Future research on the role of MUC1 in disc aging and degeneration appears warranted to determine whether MUC1 might act as a regulator in the hypoxic environment, helping disc cells to survive under hypoxic conditions by stabilization and activation of HIF-1α (as shown in pancreatic cancer cells by Chaika et al. [5], or by exerting an influence on the response to CTGF.