INTRODUCTION Nerve growth factor (NGF) has an important role in the generation of discogenic pain. We hypothesized that annular rupture is a trigger for discogenic pain through the action of NGF. In this study, the protein levels of NGF in discs from patients with disc herniation were examined and compared with those from discs of patients with other lumbar degenerative disc diseases. METHODS...

In increasing frequency, we are confronted with very old patients presenting with symptomatic degenerative spinal diseases. Many of these patients have significant comorbidity and minimally invasive treatment strategies are desirable. We report the case of an 87-year old woman with intolerable radicular pain caused by large disc herniation with intraforaminal extension in the presence of degene...

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a common degenerative disease, yet much is unknown about the mechanisms during its pathogenesis. Herein we investigated whether progranulin (PGRN), a chondroprotective growth factor, is associated with IVD degeneration. PGRN was detectable in both human and murine IVD. The levels of PGRN were upregulated in murine IVD tissue during aging process. Loss o...

Degeneration of intervertebral discs (IVDs) is associated with back pain and elevated levels of inflammatory cells. It has been hypothesised that discogenic pain is a direct result of vascular and neural ingrowth along annulus fissures, which may expose the avascular nucleus pulposus (NP) to the systemic circulation and induce an autoimmune reaction. In this study, we confirmed our previous obs...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to identify which possessed the best stem-cell-like characteristics in 3 kinds of cell in human degenerative intervertebral disc: NPSCs (nucleus pulposus-derived stem cells), AFSCs (annulus fibrosus-derived stem cells), or CESCs (cartilage endplate-derived stem cells). METHODS We separated the disc samples obtained from 15 surgically treated patients with d...

Interleukin 37 (IL-37) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine which was proven to be associated with several diseases characterized with excessive-inflammation. The pathologic process of Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is also companied by uncurbed inflammation, many cytokines were reported presenting in the process. However, there is little IL-37 related knowledge in IVDD up to now. The aim ...

Hyaline bodies may be found in the optic disc and in several parts of the retina as a nonspecific finding (Wolter, 1959). The term drusen ("colloid bodies") is usually reserved for large hyaline bodies of the optic disc and Bruch's membrane. Lorentzen (I966), postulated that drusen of the optic disc had an irregular dominant pattern of inheritance after an examination of the relatives of 49 aff...

Apoptosis plays pivotal role in the pathogenesis of degenerative disc diseases, which is the primary contributor to low back pain. Although the role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in cell apoptosis is well appreciated, the effects and mechanism that H2S regulates the program death of intervertebral disc cell are not yet elucidated. In this study, we utilized the nucleus pulposus (NP) from patients w...

The intervertebral discs (IVD) are among the essential organs of human body, ensuring mobility spine. These possess a high proportion water. However, as age, this content decreases, which can potentially lead to various diseases called degenerative disc diseases. This water is therefore an important indicator well-being disc. In paper, we propose photoacoustic imaging means probing and quantita...

The spinal cord is one of the most important and most sensitive organs in the body. If it is damaged the nerve cells do not regenerate but are replaced with fibrous tissue. Thus injuries usually result in permanent damage. Therefore, the spinal cord is protected in a very special fashion. It goes through a bony canal within the spine; it is surrounded by protective bone everywhere except over t...