Library · Anatomy
Intervertebral disc
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The intervertebral disc is the piece that joins the body of one vertebra to the body of the neighboring vertebra. The vertebral bodies are the thick blocks of bone in the spine, and the disc is what sits between one and the next.
It has three parts. Inside is the nucleus pulposus, a gelatinous core. Around it is the annulus fibrosus, a ring of fibrous connective tissue that encloses it. And above and below are the cartilage endplates, sheets of cartilage that anchor the disc to the vertebrae.
It is a water cushion trapped between two bones. The water stays inside the nucleus because aggrecan holds it there. With that water inside, the nucleus spreads the load instead of concentrating it, so the disc absorbs axial compression, the kind that travels from top to bottom down the spine, and at the same time it lets the back bend.
In brief
The intervertebral disc is the piece that joins the body of one vertebra to the body of the next.
It has three parts: the gelatinous nucleus pulposus inside, the annulus fibrosus that surrounds it, and the cartilage endplates that anchor the disc to the vertebrae.
Water drawn in by aggrecan lets the nucleus spread the load, so the disc absorbs axial compression and gives the spine flexibility.
It is a water cushion trapped between two bones.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingAnatomy, Back, Intervertebral Discs, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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