Abstract
CHANGES in the glycosaminoglycans of the human intervertebral disk with ageing have been reported by a number of authors (see Antonopoulos1 for recent work). On the other hand, there have been few investigations of the protein components, although they make up the larger part of the tissue. The collagen content has been determined in the central portion of the disk2 (the nucleus pulposus) at different ages. Similar analyses have been made on the nucleus pulposus and on the surrounding annulus fibrosus3. X-ray diffraction4 has indicated that at least one of the non-collagenous proteins present in the nucleus pulposus increases with age, but except for a brief reference by Hallén5, chemical data on these components are lacking. In the present investigation the effects of ageing on the non-collagenous protein nitrogen and on the tyrosine, most of which also derives from the non-collagenous proteins6, were investigated in addition to the collagen.
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DICKSON, I., HAPPEY, F., PEARSON, C. et al. Variations in the Protein Components of Human Intervertebral Disk with Age. Nature 215, 52–53 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/215052a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/215052a0
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