Updated: 12/11/2022

Intervertebral Disc

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  • Anatomy
    • Function
      • allows spinal motion and provides stability
      • links adjacent vertebral bodies together
      • responsible for 25% of spinal column height
    • Composition
      • annulus fibrosus
        • outer structure that encases the nucleus pulposus
        • composed of type I collagen that is obliquely oriented, water, and proteoglycans
        • characterized by high tensile strength and its ability to prevent intervertebral distraction
        • remains flexible enough to allow for motion
        • high collagen / low proteoglycan ratio (low % dry weight of proteoglycans)
        • fibroblast-like cells
          • responsible for producing type I collagen and proteoglycans
      • nucleus pulposus
        • central portion of the intervertebral disc that is surrounded by the annulus fibrosis
        • composed of type II collagen, water, and proteoglycans
          • approximately 88% water
        • hydrophilic matrix is responsible for height of the intervertebral disc
        • characterized by compressibility
          • a hydrated gel due to high polysaccharide content and high water content (88%)
            • proteoglycans interact with water and resist compression
              • Aggrecan is a proteoglycan primarily responsible for maintaining water content of the disc
          • viscoelastic matrix distributes the forces smoothly to the annulus and the end plates
        • low collagen / high proteoglycan ratio (high % dry weight of proteoglycans)
        • chondrocyte-like cells
          • responsible for producing type II collagen and proteoglycans
          • survive in hypoxic conditions
    • Blood Supply
      • the disk is avascular with capillaries terminating at the end plates
      • nutrition reaches nucleus pulposus through diffusion through pores in the endplates
        • annulus is not porous enough to allow diffusion
    • Innervation
      • the dorsal root ganglion gives rise to the sinuvertebral nerve which innervates the superficial fibers of annulus
        • no nerve fibers extend beyond the superficial fibers
      • neuropeptides thought to participate in sensory transmission include
        • substance P
        • calcitonin
        • VIP
        • CPON
    • Fixation
      • attached to vertebral bodies by hyaline cartilage
  • Disc Biomechanics
    • Disc
      • viscoelastic characteristics
        • demonstrates creep which allows for deformity over time
        • demonstrates hysteresis which allows for energy absorption with repetitive axial compression
          • this property decreases with time
    • Stresses
      • annulus fibrosus
        • highest tensile stresses
      • nucleus pulposus
        • highest compressive stress
      • intradiscal pressure is position dependent
        • pressure is lowest when lying supine
        • pressure is intermediate when standing
        • pressure is highest when sitting and flexed forward with weights in the hands
        • when carrying weight, the closer the object is to the body the lower the pressure
    • Stability
      • following subtotal discectomy, extension is most stable loading mode
  • Pathoanatomy
    • Disc Herniation
      • herniated disks are associated with a spontaneous increase in the production of
        • osteoprotegrin (OPG)
        • interleukin-1 beta
        • receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL)
        • parathyroid hormone (PTH)
    • Disc aging leads to an overall loss of water content and conversion to fibrocartilage. Specifically there is a
      • decrease in
        • nutritional transport
        • water content
        • absolute number of viable cells
        • pH
      • increase in
        • an increase keratin sulfate to chondroitin sulfate ratio
        • lactate
        • degradative enzyme activity
        • density of fibroblast-like cells
          • fibroblast-like cells reside in the annulus fibrosus only
      • no change in
        • absolute quantity of collagen

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Questions (16)
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(OBQ13.192) Which of following is pathognomonic of intervertebral disk degeneration?

QID: 4827

Increased water content in the nucleus pulposus

7%

(485/7087)

Loss of Type X collagen in the nucleus pulposus

5%

(331/7087)

Decreased thickness of the inner annulus fibers

5%

(350/7087)

Degradation of large proteoglycans molecules in the nucleus pulposus

71%

(5059/7087)

Annular tears and fissuring occurring most frequently in the central disc

12%

(830/7087)

L 1 B

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(SBQ12SP.13) A 37-year-old male feels a "pop" in his low back while lifting a heavy object. Four weeks later he continues to have significant low back pain, with no complaints of symptoms in his leg. A T2-weighted MRI is shown in Figure A with a red arrow identifying abnormal signal intensity in an anatomic structure. What type of collagen is primarily responsible for the biological properties of this anatomic structure?

QID: 3711
FIGURES:

Type I

69%

(3846/5571)

Type II

27%

(1481/5571)

Type V

1%

(79/5571)

Type IX

2%

(118/5571)

Type XI

0%

(17/5571)

L 1 B

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(OBQ12.87) Which of the following are progressive changes seen with aging of the intervertebral disc?

QID: 4447

Increase in water content

8%

(374/4878)

Increase in large aggregated proteoglycans

12%

(561/4878)

An increased keratan sulfate to chondroitin sulfate ratio

77%

(3753/4878)

A decrease in degradative enzyme activity

3%

(136/4878)

An increase in nutritional transport

1%

(29/4878)

L 1 B

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(OBQ12.45) Which of the following statements is true with regard to the aging process of the intervertebral disc along the endplate?

QID: 4405

Water content increases with age

10%

(489/4701)

Proteoglycans increase with age

16%

(746/4701)

Degradative enzyme activity decreases with age

10%

(461/4701)

pH increase with age

16%

(770/4701)

There is a conversion to fibrocartilage

47%

(2210/4701)

L 4 B

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(OBQ06.268) Recent studies have shown that cells of the intervertebral discs are biologically responsive and increase their production of matrix metalloproteinases, nitric oxide, interleukin-6, and prostaglandin E2 when stimulated by what molecule

QID: 279

osteoprotegerin (OPG)

6%

(193/3081)

interleukin-1 beta

47%

(1457/3081)

transforming growth factor-beta

32%

(994/3081)

receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL)

10%

(323/3081)

parathyroid hormone (PTH)

3%

(91/3081)

L 3 D

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(OBQ06.271) Which of the following processes is involved in age-related intervertebral disc degeneration?

QID: 282

increased cell number in the nucleus pulposus

4%

(77/2185)

increased matrix synthesis

2%

(36/2185)

increased disc height

1%

(17/2185)

increased degradative enzyme activity

86%

(1879/2185)

increased chondrotin sulfate

8%

(166/2185)

L 1 B

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Evidence (12)
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