The novel proposed histological grading score.

<p>Arrows indicate the serpentine findings in the annulus fibrosus.</p

Punctured region and intervertebral disc degeneration compared to the control.

<p>Punctured region and intervertebral disc degeneration compared to the control.</p

Intervertebral disc degeneration and needle size.

<p>Intervertebral disc degeneration and needle size.</p

The mid-sagittal slice of the lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD).

<p>The nucleus pulposus (NP) center was deviated dorsally relative to the IVD center. In 77 intact mouse lumbar IVDs, the width of ventral annulus fibrosus (AF), the dorsal deviation of the NP center relative to the IVD center, and the width of dorsal AF were calculated as proportion relative to the major axis of the IVD. The average amount of NP deviation (7%) corresponded to the difference in width between the average ventral (28%) and the average dorsal AF (15%): the ventral site of AF is thicker compared to the dorsal site.</p

Punctured region and intervertebral disc degeneration.

<p>Representative magnetic resonance imaging and histological images at four weeks after puncturing with 35- and 33-gauge needles.</p

Effects of local anesthetic injection on intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration in a rabbit IVD organ culture model.

<p>Nucleus pulposus (NP) cell death was measured by propidium iodide (PI) (dead cells; red) and Hoechst 33342 (dead and live cells; green) staining and visualized by confocal microscopy at 3 or 7 days after injection. (A) Representative confocal laser scanning micrographs of NP cells after 7 days. (B) The percentage of dead cells. Data are given as means ± SD (<i>n</i> = 6). *<i>P</i><0.05.</p

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data analysis of intervertebral disc (IVD)s at 6 or 12 months after injection.

<p>(A) Pfirrmann grading score of IVD degeneration. (B) MRI index (product of nucleus pulposus area and average signal intensity) of nucleus pulposus alterations. The numerical values are expressed as percentage compared to untreated control discs (<i>n</i> = 8).</p

Effects of the risk-T-allele on decreased GM regions and diagnosis-<i>NRGN</i> genotype interaction on GM regions.

<p>Effects of the risk T allele on decreased GM regions (TTNRGN genotype interaction on GM regions was shown by hot colormap (red areas). There was no significant effect of the risk T allele on increased GM regions (CCt values corresponding to the color in the figure.</p