Specific antisera to collagen Types I, II and ifi and proteoglycan were used to investigate the distributions of these molecules in normal human intervertebral discs. Immunofluorescent staining indicated the presence of small amounts of Type Ill collagen located pericellularly in normal adult intervertebral discs. This finding had not been demonstrated previously by other methods. Similar specimens of intervertebral discs from 17 patients with scoliosis ofvarying aetiologies were examined, but no evidence was obtained for primary connective tissue defects. Secondary changes, especially marked vascularisation of the inner annulus, were apparent in a number of scoliotic discs, and some of these showed enhanced staining for collagen Type I and proteoglycan, and intercellular matrix staining for Type Ill collagen.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.