Background Cell-based tissue engineering has emerged as a potential therapy for intervertebral disc degeneration. However, propagating and maintaining high quantity and quality of the seed cells remains a challenge. Aims To investigate the feasibility of culturing human disc cells using a microcarrier bioreactor system. Methods Cell counts, growth patterns, cell cycles and cellular viability were examined during the course of cell cultivation and compared between the microcarrier bioreactor culture system and the conventional monolayer culture. Results Cultures in the microcarrier bioreactor resulted in enhanced disc cell growth and satisfactory cell viability in comparison with the conventional monolayer culture. The cells in the microcarrier bioreactor cultivation exhibited higher S phase ratios, elevated mitotic index and persistent exponential growth. Conclusion The microcarrier bioreactor culture system appears suitable for human disc cell propagation and may provide considerably more seeding cells for the tissue engineering process of intervertebral discs.