Immunolocalization of type X collagen in human lumbar intervertebral discs during ageing and degeneration.
Type X collagen has so far not been reported to occur in human intervertebral discs. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the occurrence of type X collagen in human lumbar intervertebral discs during ageing and degeneration. Ninety intervertebral discs with adjacent endplates were excised in toto from individuals (0-86 years) without known spinal disease and were processed for routine decalcified histology. Appropriate slices of each disc were processed for immunohistochemistry using a type-specific, monoclonal antibody raised against human type X collagen. Each intervertebral disc was examined for macroscopic and histomorphological features of disc degeneration. Immunohistochemically, a positive specific type X staining was observed in the hypertrophic zone of the growth plate and only in the interstitial matrix of juvenile (<2 years) nucleus pulposus. In adult discs, type X collagen could be localized in conjunction with advanced disc degeneration and first occurred in the disc matrix (i.e., pericellular region) of a 47-year-old specimen. Positive type X staining of the disc matrix was more frequently found in senile (>70 years) discs with end stages of disc degeneration. This study provides the first evidence for the occurrence of type X collagen in human lumbar intervertebral discs and it appears that type X collagen is re-expressed in late stages of disc degeneration.
Boos
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Orthopaedic University Hospital Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland. 76322.3506@compuserve.com
Nerlich
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AG
Wiest
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I
von der Mark
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K
Aebi
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M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D003094:Collagen