What Is the Nucleus Pulposus?
Nucleus pulposus is a milky white translucent gelatinous body, rich in elasticity, a part of the intervertebral disc structure, located between the two cartilage plates and the fibrous ring. An elastic jelly substance composed of crisscross fibrous network structures, namely chondrocytes and a mucoid matrix of proteoglycans.
Nucleus pulposus
- Nucleus pulposus is a milky white translucent gelatinous body with rich elasticity.
- The nucleus pulposus is located on the cartilage plate and
- The mature nucleus pulposus is a cartilage-like cell dispersed in the intercellular substance, surrounded by a relatively dense water-filled collagen fibrous network, located in the posterior position of the intervertebral disc, accounting for 50% to 60% of the cross-sectional area of the intervertebral disc. Its water content is very high, and it is in close contact with the cartilage endplate. It is the main part of the intervertebral disc to receive nutrition through the main nutritional pathway of cartilage endplate.
- The nucleus pulposus and the cartilage end plates surrounding it, and the surrounding fibrous rings together form a closed buffer system against gravity and tension. During spinal motion, the nucleus pulposus acts as a fulcrum, assisting other parts of the spine to complete physiological activities. The backward position of the nucleus pulpospheric structure is of great significance for dispersing pressure, supporting large angles and high-frequency bending. The nucleus pulposus itself has vascular growth only during infancy and severe degeneration. Normally, its nutrition is mainly supplied by the main nutritional channels of the vertebral body-cartilage endplate-nucleus pulposus.
- Figure vertebra
- When the nucleus pulposus is suddenly subjected to external force, the stress is transmitted to each part of the fiber ring by changing the shape, and then it is dispersed by the tensile stress of the fiber ring, which has the effect of absorbing and transmitting the external force oscillation.
- Although the volume of the nucleus pulposus cannot be significantly compressed due to the effect of external pressure, but due to its plasticity, its shape can change with the center of gravity of the spine during various movements. It plays the role of supporting the vertebral body like a bearing. For example, when the spine is flexed, most of the nucleus pulposus moves to the back of the intervertebral disc; when the spine is extended, most of the nucleus pulposus moves to the front of the intervertebral disc; when the spine rotates, most of the nucleus pulposus is located in the center.