Intervertebral Disc Aging, Degeneration, and Associated Potential Molecular Mechanisms.

Intervertebral disc degeneration is a major cause of neck and back pain, a very common clinical problem. However, no effective treatment is available, which is largely due to the lack of understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying disc degeneration. Here, we briefly described the process of intervertebral disc aging and degeneration and summarized major findings in molecular signaling pathways implicated in disc aging and degeneration.