[The measurement of collagen and proteoglycan contents in nucleus pulposus of lumbar intervertebral disc]

The collagen and proteoglycan contents were determined in lumbar intervertebral disc nucleus from 50 cases normal Chinese with accidental death and in that of 50 cases of prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc (PID). The significance of the work rested with. (1) The normal range of the collagen and proteoglycan contents in the nucleus pulposus of normal Chinese was defined, therefore, it provided a normal parameter and laid a foundation for the study of collagen and proteoglycan metabolic changes in the nucleus pulposus of lumbar intervertebral disc under pathological condition. (2) By comparison of contents between collagen and proteoglycan in the nucleus pulposus of PID, the physiopathology of PID was confirmed further, that is, the content of proteoglycan of the nucleus pulposus in PID decreased, however, that of collagen increased. (3) The collagen contents between fibrocartilage and nucleus pulposus in normal chinese were compared. Analyses were made biomechanically and biochemically.