Intervertebral Disc

Question 1

What is the water concentration in the lumbar nucleus pulposus at birth and after thirty?

Answer 1

birth=88%, thirty=70%

Question 2

What is the consequence of non-aggregated glycosaminoglycans in the lumbar nucleus pulposus?

Answer 2

the nucleus pulposus will loose water uder deformation conditions

Question 3

What cell is associated with nucleus pulposus until about age eleven?

Answer 3

notochord cells

Question 4

Which type of collagen is dominant in the nucleus pulposus?

Answer 4

type II

Question 5

What is the appearance of the cervical annulus fibrosus?

Answer 5

a horse-shoe with the anterior margin thick and the lateral margins tapering to the uncinate process; the posterior margin is thin

Question 6

What compensates for the thinness of the posterior part of the cervical annulus fibrosus?

Answer 6

posterior longitudinal ligament

Question 7

What is the organization of the lumbar annulus fibrosus?

Answer 7

it has 12-14 concentric cylindrical lamellae

Question 8

What is the water concentration in the lumbar annulus fibrosus at birth and after thirty?

Answer 8

birth=78%, thirty 70%

Question 9

What is the organizational pattern for glycosaminoglycans in the lumbar annulus fibrosus?

Answer 9

they typically have a binding site for hyaluronic acid and are thus aggregated

Question 10

Which type of collagen is dominant is the annulus fibrosus?

Answer 10

type I

Question 11

What is the organizational pattern for collagen fibers in the annulus fibrosus?

Answer 11

they are a parallel with one another in a single lamellus and angled

Question 12

What is the organization of collagen fibers between lamellae?

Answer 12

collagen fibers will be angled in the opposite direction such that a spiral- counterspiral organization is observed

Question 13

What is the attachment site for collagen fibers within the annulus fibrosus?

Answer 13

collagen fibers of the outer lamellae will become Sharpey’s fibers and penetrate the epiphyseal rims; collagen fibers of the inner lamellae will attach to the cartilaginous end plate

Question 14

What is the origin for the cells of the annulus fibrosus?

Answer 14

sclerotomites

Question 15

What is the principal type of collagen fiber within the cartilage end plate?

Answer 15

the type II collagen fiber

Question 16

What is the direction of collagen fibers within the cartilage end plate?

Answer 16

collagen fibers are aligned anterior to posterior

Question 17

What is the attachment site for collagen fibers of the inner lamellae of the annulus fibrosus?

Answer 17

the cartilaginous end plate

Question 18

What are the types of receptor endings in the intervertebral disc?

Answer 18

nociceptors and proprioceptors

Question 19

What is the relationship between size of the intervertebral disc and receptor endings?

Answer 19

the larger the disc, the greater the variety of receptor endings

Question 20

What part of the intervertebral disc is innervated by the recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral/sinus vertebral nerve?

Answer 20

the outer lamellae of the annulus fibrosus at the posterior part of the intervertebral disc

Question 21

What forms the anterior neural plexus of the vertebral column?

Answer 21

fibers from the ventral primary ramus

Question 22

What forms the lateral neural plexus of the vertebral column?

Answer 22

fibers from the ventral primary ramus, fibers from the white ramus communicans, fibers from the paradiscal ramus communicans, fibers from the gray ramus communicans

Question 23

What is the name given to the white ramus communicans which becomes embedded within the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc?

Answer 23

the paradiscal ramus communicans

Question 24

What part of the intervertebral disc is innervated by fibers from the paradiscal ramus communicans?

Answer 24

the outer lamellae of the annulus fibrosus at the lateral part of the intervertebral disc

Question 25

How does the intervertebral disc attach to the vertebral body?

Answer 25

Sharpey’s fibers from the outer lamellae of the annulus fibrosus are firmly embedded into the epiphyseal rims of the adjacent vertebral bodies

Question 26

Based on histology, what is the classification of the intervertebral disc?

Answer 26

a cartilaginous (amphiarthrosis) symphysis

Question 27

What are the divisions of the embryonic somite?

Answer 27

the sclerotome, myotome, and dermatome

Question 28

What structure is formed following migration of sclerotomes to surround the notochord?

Answer 28

the perichordal blastema

Question 29

What is formed within the perichordal blastema between sclerotomites?

Answer 29

the intrasclerotomal fissure or fissure of von Ebner

Question 30

What does the intrasclerotomal fissure of fissure of von Ebner become?

Answer 30

the perichordal disc

Question 31

What will the dense sclerotomite become?

Answer 31

the upper part of the vertebral segment forming below

Question 32

What structure forms following migration and subsequent mixing of the sclerotomites?

Answer 32

the vertebral blastema

Question 33

What part of the intervertebral disc will the notochord form?

Answer 33

the nucleus pulposus

Question 34

What part of the intervertebral disc will the perichordal disc form?

Answer 34

the annulus fibrosus

Question 35

What is the earliest indicator of the position of the adult intervertebral disc?

Answer 35

the intrasclerotomal fissure or fissure of von Ebner