A pilot investigation of chemonucleolysis-induced intervertebral disc degeneration in the ovine lumbar spine

Abstract

24Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD) initiates in the nucleus pulposus (NP) and is 25 marked by elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and matrix-degrading proteases, 26leading to structural and functional disruption. IVDD therapeutics are currently being 27 investigated; however, such approaches require validation using large animal models that