The Intervertebral Disc

Biomechanical and Molecular Studies of the Intervertebral Disc: Introduction to the Structure, Function and Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrae and the Intervertebral Disc.- The Intervertebral Disc: Overview of Disc Mechanics.- Development of the Intervertebral Disc.- Proteoglycans of the Intervertebral Disc.- Collagen and Other Proteins of the Nucleus Pulposus, Annulus Fibrosus and Cartilage Endplates.- Microenvironmental Regulation of Cell Function and Extracellular Matrix Synthesis by Disc Cells.- The Effects of Mechanical Forces on Nucleus and Annulus Cells.- The Role of the ADAMTS Proteins in the Intervertebral Disc.- Intervertebral Disc Disease: Pathogenesis and Current Treatment Modalities: Epidemiology of Lumbar Disc Degeneration.- Genetic Basis of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.- Pathogenesis of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.- Imaging Modalities for Studying Disc Pathology.- Surgical Indications for Lumbar Degenerative Disease.- Spinal Motion Restoration Devices for the Degenerate Disc.- The Non-Surgical Treatment of Back Pain.- Back Pain and Disc Degeneration: Are They Linked?- Clinical Features and Pathobiology of Chordoma.- Models of Disc Disease and Biological Regeneration: Large Animal Models of Disc Degeneration.- Intervertebral Disc Herniation.- The Sand Rat (Psammomys obesus obesus) Model of Spontaneous, Age-Related Intervertebral Disc Generation.- Use of Knockout and Transgenic Mouse Models in Disc Research.- Intervertebral Disc Culture Models and Their Applications to Study Pathogenesis and Repair.- Use of Stem Cells to Regenerate the Disc.- Gene Therapy Approaches for Disc Regeneration.- Enhancing Disc Repair by Growth Factors and Other Modalities.- Tissue Engineering of the Disc.