Intervertebral disc degeneration is a common condition that may lead to low back pain and radiculopathy. Understanding the pathophysiology and cellular and molecular events of degenerative disc disease has resulted in the proposal of a gene therapy approach to halt and reverse disc degeneration. We explored the feasibility of reversing intervertebral disc degeneration using human vascular endot...

Low back pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem and the single most common cause of disability, often attributed to degeneration of the intervertebral disc. Lack of effective treatment is directly related to our limited understanding of the pathways responsible for maintaining disc health. While transcriptional analysis has permitted initial insights into the biology of the interverteb...

STUDY DESIGN In vitro study to develop an intervertebral disc degeneration organ culture model, using coccygeal bovine intervertebral discs (IVDs) and injection of proteolytic enzymes MMP-3, ADAMTS-4, and HTRA1. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop an in vitro model of enzyme-mediated intervertebral disc degeneration to mimic the clinical outcome in humans for investigation of therapeutic tr...

INTRODUCTION Intervertebral disc degeneration is considered one of the key causes of back pain. The intervertebral disc has three major structural components: nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, and cartilaginous endplates (CEP). Many studies have been reported on anatomy, mechanics, and chemistry of the nucleus and annulus [1-4] while very little is known about the MR characteristics of the CE...

INTRODUCTION A scoliotic deformity on intervertebral discs may accelerate degeneration at a molecular level with the production of metalloproteinases (MMPs). In the present experimental study we evaluated the presence of MMP-1 immunohistochemically after application of asymmetric forces in a rat intervertebral disc and the impact of the degree of the deformity on MMP-1 expression. MATERIAL-ME...

Oxidative stress-related phenotypic changes and a decline in the number of viable cells are crucial contributors to intervertebral disc degeneration. The polyphenol epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) can interfere with painful disc degeneration by reducing inflammation, catabolism, and pain. In this study, we hypothesized that EGCG furthermore protects against senescence and/or cell death, induc...

Discogenic pain is closely related to degenerative disc disease (DDD). The source of low back pain is internal disruption of the lumbar intervertebral disc. Chronic segmental instability, mechanical irritation of sensory nociceptive terminals and biochemically activation of inflamatory mediators are thought as causes of discogenic low back pain. Acute and chronic spinal instability are known as...

This review article describes anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology and treatment of intervertebral disc. The intervertebral discs lie between the vertebral bodies, linking them together. The components of the disc are nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus and cartilagenous end-plates. The blood supply to the disc is only to the cartilagenous end-plates. The nerve supply is basically through the si...

BACKGROUND This study provides experimental results on the applicability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) for the repair of intervertebral disc annulus fibrosus in rabbits. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty healthy rabbits were randomized into an observation group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). Both groups underwent degeneration of intervertebral disc annulus fibrosus. The observatio...

Despite the very good results of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, there are concerns of adjacent level degeneration. For this reason, interest has grown in the potential for motion sparing alternatives. Cervical disc arthroplasty is thus evolving as a potential alternative to fusion. Specific design characteristic and implants will be reviewed and outcomes summarized.