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Fig. 2 | Arthritis Research & Therapy

Fig. 2

From: Nerves are more abundant than blood vessels in the degenerate human intervertebral disc

Fig. 2

Expression of neurofilament 200 (NF200), protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5; (nerve) and cluster of differentiation factor 31 (CD31; endothelial) immunopositive tissues within human intervertebral disc (IVD) samples. NF200-positive tissue demonstrates strong staining of the axon and dendrites (a and b). Nerves were seen tracking along fissures (c). PGP9.5 staining revealed neuronal staining following the tracks of the matrix in the nucleus pulposus (NP) (d), surrounding what appear to be blood vessels (e–i) and nerve bundles within the cartilaginous endplate (CEP) (f). Cells within the NP (g) and annulus fibrosus (AF) (h) were positive for PGP9.5. Blood vessels were evident along the transition zone between AF and NP (j), the outer annulus fibrosus (k) and also within regions above the CEP (l)

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