- Discussion:
- cartilage end plate contains no fibrillar connection w/ collagen of subchondral bone of the vertebrae;
- this lack of interconnection between end plate and the vertebrae may render disc biomechanically
weak against horizontal shear forces;
- outer 2/3 of
annulus fibrous are firmly anchored into vertebral bodies;
-
intervertebral disc in the adult is avascular;
- cells w/in it are sustained by diffusion of nutrients into disc thru porous central concavity
of the vertebral end plate;
-
glycoaminoglycan turnover in the disc is quite slow, requiring 500 days;
