title: Genetics of lumbar disk degeneration: technology, study designs, and risk factors.
abstract: Lumbar disk degeneration (LDD) is a common musculoskeletal condition. Genetic risk factors have been suggested to play a major role in its cause. This article reviews the main research strategies that have been used to study the genetics of LDD, and the genes that thus far have been identified to influence susceptibility to LDD. With the rapid progress in genomic technologies, further advances in the genetics of LDD are expected in the next few years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Patrick Yu-Ping
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Dino
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Samartzis
authors.forename: Pak Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Sham
authors.forename: You-Qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005820:Genetic Testing; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index