title: [VERTEBRAL SUBCHONDRAL BONE AND INTERVERTEBRAL DISC DEGENERATION].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the role of vertebral subchondral bone in maintaining normal physiological function of the intervertebral disc and in the intervertebral disc degeneration in light of bone anatomy, microstructure, histopathological features, and MRI imaging features.
  
  
  METHODS
  The related home and abroad literature concerning vertebral subchondral bone and intervertebral disc degeneration was extensively reviewed and comprehensively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vertebral subchondral bone is part of the vertebral endplate and is defined as the vascularized cortical and trabecular bone layer located between the cartilage endplate and vertebral body. It not only plays a cushion shocks role in terms of conducting stress and effectively resists the hydrostatic nucleus, but also ensures the normal supply of disc nutrition. Subchondral bone sclerosis caused by bone remodeling abnormality severely decreases the ability of subchondral bone stress absorption and protective function of disc, which finally leads to increased inflammatory factors locally and hindered nutrition pathway of disc and enhanced disc degeneration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To further strengthen the knowledge and understanding of the vertebral subchondral bone will play a positive role in the study on the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhuang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Faming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Wenya
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D016723:Bone Remodeling; D001842:Bone and Bones; D002356:Cartilage; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010539:Permeability