Reduced Shear Modulus and Altered Lamellar Morphology of the Outer Annulus Fibrosus in Painful Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Compared With Tissue From Non-Surgical Controls.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Stability of the spine and intervertebral disc (IVD) integrity is enabled by the highly organized fibrocartilaginous annulus fibrosus (AF). The shear properties of the AF are important in maintaining IVD integrity. AF shear mechanics in degenerative disc (DD) remain underexplored, especially in comparing minimally degenerative (non-DD) and symptomatic DD individuals. This study measured tissue mechanical properties (AF simple shear modulus and dynamic shear properties) and examined structure (with optical coherence tomography (OCT)) in surgical DD and non-DD control individuals.

Methods

Whole AF tissue samples were collected from non-DD donors (N = 13) and DD surgical individuals (N = 30). Two anterior outer AF (OAF) 5 mm cubes were sectioned from ea

SUBMITTER: Bader TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12507480 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature