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Updated: Mar 24, 2026
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Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration
Published on: July 8, 2021
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Ionic and biochemical characterization of bovine intervertebral disk
Delio Eulalio Martins1, Valquiria Pereira Medeiros2, Gabriela Feitosa Demerov3
1a Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Universidade Federal de São Paulo , São Paulo , Brazil.
Connective Tissue Research
|March 5, 2016
Summary
Intervertebral disc composition, including glycosaminoglycans, cells, ions, and collagen, was analyzed. Findings reveal ion concentration impacts cell distribution and collagen fiber types in spinal discs.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Low back pain is frequently linked to intervertebral disc degeneration.
- Understanding disc cellular and molecular composition is crucial for developing effective therapies.
- Precise quantification methods for disc components are essential for therapeutic research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To correlate glycosaminoglycan presence with cell, ion, and collagen fiber distribution in intervertebral disc sections.
- To investigate the relationship between ionic concentrations and cellularity within the disc.
- To analyze collagen fiber distribution in relation to glycosaminoglycans.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 14 bovine intervertebral discs, sectioned and digested.
- Quantification of glycosaminoglycans via agarose electrophoresis.
- Measurement of total cells using the PicoGreen® assay.
- Quantification of ions (Na+, K+) and analysis of collagen fiber birefringence using polarized light.
Main Results:
- Higher concentrations of sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) were found in the nucleus pulposus compared to the annulus fibrosus.
- A significant negative correlation was observed between cell number and ion concentrations (p < 0.001).
- Thin collagen fibers and hyaluronate distribution were most prominent in the nucleus pulposus.
Conclusions:
- Annulus fibrosus cells, like nucleus pulposus cells, are sensitive to ionic concentration changes.
- Hyaluronate appears to be associated with type II collagen fibers.
- These findings enhance the understanding of intervertebral disc structure-function relationships.
