大鼠椎间盘软骨终板退变与细胞凋亡的形态计量学研究

 目的 观察研究增龄和负重对椎间盘软骨终板（cartilage endplate，CEP）形态与细胞凋亡的影响。方法 通过手术截肢及特殊饲养建立双后肢大鼠模型（n=45），取同龄正常大鼠作为对照组（n=40）。在3、6、9、12月龄时实验组和对照组分别随机选取8只处死观察，取出L4-5椎间盘及相邻上下椎体组织。椎间盘取材后，行苏木精-伊红染色以及TUNEL染色。计数软骨终板区活细胞以及凋亡细胞数目，并且测量软骨终板厚度，计算软骨终板缺损程度。结果凋亡首先显著出现于软骨终板中，随着年龄的增加凋亡逐渐加剧，并直接导致细胞密度的显著降低。实验组软骨终板内软骨细胞的凋亡率在6月龄时较对照组明显增加，实验组6、9月龄组间比较差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。相关分析显示，软骨终板活细胞数目与椎间盘软骨终板破损程度具有相关性，相关系数为-0.97（P<0.05），呈高度相关。实验组的软骨终板结构较对照组发生更严重的退变，软骨终板钙化层明显增厚、非钙化层变薄并出现裂隙。结论除增龄因素外，负重是增加细胞凋亡、加重椎间盘软骨终板破损和退变的重要因素。

Morphometric analysis of chondrocyte apoptosis and degeneration of vertebral cartilage endplate in rats

Objective To investigate the impact of aging and weight bearing on cartilage endplate morphology and chondrocyte apoptosis in rats. Methods The bipedal rat model (n=45) was developed by forelimb amputation and special breeding methods. The normal rats of the same age served as the control group (n=40). When the rats became 3, 6, 9, and 12 months old, 8 rats randomly selected from each group were sacrificed and paraffin-embedded mid-sagittal sections of the L4-5 spine were obtained. Sections were stained wit...