What is Intervertebral disc?
[[File:716 Intervertebral Disk.svg|thumb|right|400px|Intervertebral disc]] [[File:Cervical vertebra english.png|thumb|400px|Cervical vertebra with intervertebral disc]] An '''intervertebral disc''' is a kind of padding between [[vertebra]]e in the [[vertebral column]]. They are [[shock absorber]]s in the [[spine]], and are very important to the health of the spine. The disc is a [[cartilage|fibrocartilaginous]] [[joint]]. It allows slight movement of the vertebrae, and acts as a [[ligament]] to hold the vertebrae together. Discs have an outer fibrous ring, made up of both type I and type II collagen. Type I is concentrated towards the edge of the ring where it provides greater strength. The fibrous intervertebral disc contains the ''nucleus pulposus'' and this helps to distribute pressure evenly across the disc. The nucleus pulposus contains loose fibers suspended in a mucoprotein [[gel]]. The nucleus of the disc acts as a shock absorber, absorbing impacts and keeping the two vertebrae separated. It is the remnant of the [[notochord]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=McCann, Matthew ''et al'' 2011.|title=Tracing notochord-derived cells using a Noto-cre mouse: implications for intervertebral disc development|journal=Disease Models & Mechanisms|year=2012|volume=5|issue=1|pages=73–82|doi=10.1242/dmm.008128|pmid=22028328|pmc=3255545}}</ref> == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Skeletal system]] [[Category:Back (anatomy)]]