Figure 4.

DIC images comparing the mechanism of annular‐endplate anchorage in the outer‐to‐mid annulus within (A) newborn, (B) spring lamb, and (C) mature discs. Despite significant changes in endplate morphology, all three groups illustrate the primary annular bundle (PAB) branching into several sub‐bundles within the cartilaginous endplate (CEP) region. In newborn discs these sub‐bundles seem to disappear into the relatively thick cartilaginous endplate. However, in both spring lamb and mature discs they appear to penetrate almost the entire depth of the cartilaginous endplate down to the vertebral endplate (VEP) surface. Image C is reprinted from The Spine Journal, 12(2), Rodrigues SA, Wade KR, Thambyah A and Broom ND, Micromechanics of annulus‐end plate integration in the intervertebral disc, 143–150, Copyright (2012), with permission from Elsevier. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2012.01.003