RECENT PUBLICATIONS: Joint analysis of IVD herniation and degeneration by rat caudal needle puncture model

INEB researchers recently published an article in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, available since November 2015. The article is entitled "Joint analysis of IVD herniation and degeneration by rat caudal needle puncture model" and is authored by Carla Cunha, Sofia Lamas, Raquel M Gonçalves and Mário A Barbosa.

This study explored an in vivo rat model of intervertebral disc (IVD) lesion as a non-invasive, cost-effective and reproducible method for the analysis of the pathophysiological features of IVD degeneration and herniation. We have characterized along time the histological, radiographical and biochemical features behind disc degeneration in the rat coccygeal IVD, caused by two different types of needle puncture lesion. Moreover, we have demonstrated IVD herniation coupled to IVD degeneration in the same model, which may help to understand complex mechanisms such as hernia formation and spontaneous regression. The results obtained may be important for the development of efficient tissue engineering approaches for IVD regeneration.