The vertebral end-plate: what do we know?

Abstract

The vertebral end-plate is critical for maintaining the health of the intervertebral disc. This paper reviews the literature that relates to end-plate structure and development and describes how disc integrity is affected by changes associated with pathology and aging. A range of studies, including biomechanical, biochemical, surgical and histological is discussed to illustrate the important role of the end-plate in spinal function.