A new porcine in vivo animal model of disc degeneration: response of anulus fibrosus cells, chondrocyte-like nucleus pulposus cells, and notochordal nucleus pulposus cells to partial nucleotomy.

Study Design.In vivo animal study.Objectives.To describe a new porcine disc degeneration model, and to analyze disc remodeling and degeneration after nucleotomy with special view to the different nucleus pulposus (NP) cell types.Summary of Background Data.Thus far, predominantly smaller animals were