Nucleus pulposus

Nucleus pulposus
Cervical vertebra with intervertebral disc. (Nucleus pulposus labeled at center right, and is visible at center in light blue.)
Stages of Spinal Disc Herniation
Gray's	subject #17 82
Precursor	notochord

Nucleus pulposus is the jelly-like substance in the middle of the spinal disc. It is the remnant of the notochord. It functions to distribute hydraulic pressure in all directions within each disc under compressive loads. The nucleus pulposus consists of chondrocytes, collagen fibrils, and proteoglycan aggrecans that have hyaluronic long chains which attract water. Attached to each hyaluronic chain are side chains of chondroitin sulfate and keratan sulfate.^[1]

See also

• Annulus fibrosus disci intervertebralis
• Spinal disc herniation

Additional images

Sagittal section through an intervertebral fibrocartilage and adjacent parts of two vertebræ of an advanced sheep’s embryo.

References

^[2]

1. ^ See Figure 1 in US patent application 2007/0003525.
2. ^ Link to referenced patent application.

External links

• Image at spinesource.com
• Presentation on synthetic nucleus pulposus

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