Immunochemical localization of collagen types and proteoglycan in pig intervertebral discs.

Antisera were produced which recognized specifically native type I and type II collagens and proteoglycan. These were used in immunofluorescence studies to investigate the distribution of collagens and proteoglycan in intervertebral discs from adult and newborn pigs. Cervical, thoracic and lumbar discs gave similar staining patterns. In the adult, the outer 1 mm of the annulus fibrosus resembled a perichondrium and was negative for type II collagen. The inner regions of the annulus contained proteoglycan and both types of collagen, but these molecules appeared to have separate distributions. The nucleus showed no staining for type I collagen. Newborn pig discs differed from those of the adult in that type II collagen was restricted to the central notochord and to a narrow zone surrounding it. The newborn annulus was negative for type II collagen but reacted strongly with antibodies to both type I collagen and proteoglycan. It is suggested that during development of the pig annulus fibrosus, cells producing type II collagen may migrate into this area from the central regions.