Figure 3.

Autophagy and IVDD. Autophagic flux refers to the entire process of autophagy, including autophagosome formation, maturation, fusion with lysosomes, subsequent breakdown, and macromolecule release back into the cytosol. Excessive stress, aging, injury, spine deformity, genetic predisposition, and other pathogenic factors contribute to IVDD progression. IVDD is associated with structural and morphologic abnormalities, nutritional imbalances, nerve and vascular in-growth, decreased cellular anabolic function, activating catabolic cascades, elevated chondrocyte calcification, increased cell senescence and apoptosis, and altered expression of ECM and inflammatory markers. Autophagic flux may either delay or accelerate the onset of IVDD.