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Figure 1

From: In-Vivo Nucleus Pulposus-Specific Regulation of Adult Murine Intervertebral Disc Degeneration via Wnt/Beta-Catenin Signaling

Figure 1

Tail compression induced intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration-like gene expression. (A) Experimental design/timeline of the 5 mo and 12 mo old TOPGAL mice subjected to 1 week of tail compression. Green and red arrows indicate the beginning and end of the tail compression, respectively. Red “X” indicates tissue harvest. Letters on the right side of the arrows or “X’s” indicate the panels in the timeline. (B) X-ray of the tail with a pin inserted through each vertebra. Red squares indicate the IVD of interest. (C) Gene expression of loaded IVD relative to internal controls of 5 mo (n = 8) and 12 mo (n = 6) IVD. (D) Safranin-O/Fast green staining of IVDs from TOPGAL mice that were loaded for 1 week, removed of the compression instrumentation and allowed 3 wk of unencumbered ambulation. Xgal (Blue) staining of ‘Control’ and ‘Loaded’ disc demonstrated reduced Wnt activity with compression. Data are presented as mean + SD. *Control vs. Loaded; bar: 5 mo vs. 12 mo; p < 0.05.

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