| Popis: |
The intervertebral disc is part of an anatomic unit that consists of an inner gelatinous nucleus pulposus (NP), an outer annulus fibrosus (AF), and the cartilaginous end plates with their associated capillary beds both cranially and caudally. The central NP is a site of collagen secretion and contains numerous proteoglycans (PG), which facilitate water retention, creating hydrostatic pressure to resist axial compression of the spine. The NP is primarily composed of type II collagen. In contrast, the AF functions to maintain the NP within the center of the disc with low amount of PG and is composed of primarily of type I collagen [1, 2]. |
