Fig. 1

Lumbar instability promoted AFCs apoptosis and Piezo1 expression. a Representative H&E staining and histological scoring of rats in the Ctrl group and IVDD group (scale bar = 600 μm). b Representative Sirius red staining observed by polarized light microscopy of rats in the Ctrl group and IVDD group (scale bar = 1000 μm). c Representative MRI detection of the L4/L5 disc (red dotted box) of rats in the Ctrl group and IVDD group. d Representative Tunel staining (red) of AF tissue of rats in the Ctrl group and IVDD group (scale bar = 100 μm). Nuclei were counterstained with Hoechst 33,358 (blue). e Histological scoring of H&E staining results of rats in the Ctrl group and IVDD group (n = 3). f The percentage of thin collagen fibers (green), intermediate collagen fibers (yellow), or thick collagen fibers (red) in AF of rats in the Ctrl group and IVDD group (n = 3). g Pfirrmann grades of rats shown by MRI in the Ctrl group and IVDD group (n = 3). h Ratio of apoptotic cells of AF tissue of rats shown by Tunel staining in the Ctrl group and IVDD group (n = 3). i Representative immunofluorescent staining pictures detecting the expression of Piezo1 channel in AF tissue of the Ctrl group and IVDD group (scale bar = 150 μm). Piezo1 appeared green and nuclei were counterstained with Hoechst 33,358 (blue). j Statistic data of mean Piezo1 fluorescent intensity in AF tissue of the Ctrl group and IVDD group (n = 3). ^**P < 0. 01, ^***P < 0.001, ^****P < 0.0001