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¹ Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Departments of Neurosurgery,
²Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Departments of Biochemistry
³Pathology Dokuz Eylül University. Inciraltı, Izmir Türkiye This study was carried out to analyze, biochemically and histologically, the collagen and elastin components of human intervertebral disc material obtained at operations performed in cases of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, and to compare these data with those obtained on "ligamentum flavum" samples in the same cases. Following preparation of the residues of the specimens for analysis, histological analysis and elastin - collagen estimations were done. The results obtained were: % 1.68-±-0.46 elastin in disc material and % 54.60-±-4.48 in ligamentum flavum (p<0.000l): % 15-±-0.75 collagen in disc material and % 7.98-±-1.21 in ligamentum flavum (p>0.05). Histological evaluation revealed that elastic fibres are the primary connective tissue elements of ligamentum flavum, while the annulus fibrosus contains these fibrils only in the periosseous. The nucleus pulposus was observed microscopically not to contain elastic fibrils. These histological data confirm the molecular data obtained in this study. In conclusion, it can be stated that intervertebral disc material and yellow ligament show significant differences in elastin - elastic fibril content and elastin/collagen ratios. Keywords : Human intervertebral disc: Elastin: Collagen