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. 2021 Sep;9(17):1376. doi: 10.21037/atm-21-227

Figure 7.

Figure 7

Herniated human NP tissues had higher expression levels of miR-16, lower levels of IGF-1 and IGF-1R, and increased apoptotic activity than non-herniated human NP tissues. (A) MRI showing NP tissue from an extrusion patient. (B) Expression of the top four predicted IGF-1-regulating miRNAs in human NP tissue. (C) Immunohistochemistry analysis of IGF-1, IGF-1R, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 in human NP tissue. In all experiments, human NP tissues were divided between herniated and non-herniated segments. The black arrows pointed to the cell clusters of NP which were the markers of degenerated discs. Scale bar =50 µm. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD, n=3. *, P<0.05; **, P<0.01 versus the indicated group. NPCs, nucleus pulposus cells; SD, standard deviation; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; NP, nucleus pulposus; IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor 1; miRNAs, microRNAs; IGF-1R, IGF-1 receptor.