What is an intervertebral disc?
Q: What is an intervertebral disc?
A: An intervertebral disc is a kind of padding between vertebrae in the vertebral column.
Q: What is the importance of an intervertebral disc?
A: Intervertebral discs are shock absorbers in the spine and are very important to the health of the spine.
Q: What type of joint is the fibrocartilaginous disc?
A: The fibrocartilaginous disc is a joint.
Q: What is the composition of the outer fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc?
A: The outer fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc is made up of both type I and type II collagen.
Q: What is the nucleus pulposus and what is its function?
A: The nucleus pulposus is a component of the intervertebral disc that contains loose fibers suspended in a mucoprotein gel. It helps to distribute pressure evenly across the disc and acts as a shock absorber, keeping the two vertebrae separated.
Q: Where is type I collagen concentrated in the fibrous outer ring of the intervertebral disc?
A: Type I collagen is concentrated towards the edge of the fibrous outer ring where it provides greater strength.
Q: What is the origin of the nucleus pulposus?
A: The nucleus pulposus is the remnant of the notochord.
