Yovich J V, Powers B E, Stashak T S
Am J Vet Res. 1985 Nov;46(11):2372-7.
The intervertebral disks and adjacent vertebral bodies of the 2nd to 7th cervical vertebrae from 17 horses (3 months to 19 years of age) were examined grossly and by light microscopy. In each specimen, the disk tissue was fibrocartilagenous centrally and became more fibrous peripherally, but without a distinct demarcation between the nucleus pulposus and anulus fibrosus. Demarcation between the anulus fibrosus and the dorsal longitudinal ligament was not apparent. With increasing age of the horses, cellularity of the central fibrocartilagenous portion of the disk decreased. The caudal end plates of the vertebrae had an increase in width and bone density with increasing age. In specimens from horses of all ages, the cranial end plate of the vertebrae had only a thin rim of dense bone. The cranial physis of each vertebral body was closed at 3 years of age, whereas the caudal physis of vertebral bodies was discontinuous in 6- to 9-year-old horses and was completely absent in horses greater than or equal to 12 years. Disruption of fibers of the anulus fibrosus by small amounts of fibro-cartilage was observed in disks from 5 horses. This change was similar to a Hansen type II disk prolapse.
对17匹马（年龄从3个月到19岁）第2至7颈椎的椎间盘和相邻椎体进行大体和光学显微镜检查。在每个标本中，椎间盘组织中央为纤维软骨，周边纤维成分增多，但髓核与纤维环之间无明显分界。纤维环与后纵韧带之间分界不明显。随着马年龄的增长，椎间盘中央纤维软骨部分的细胞数量减少。椎体尾侧终板宽度和骨密度随年龄增长而增加。在所有年龄段马的标本中，椎体头侧终板仅有一层薄薄的致密骨边缘。每个椎体的头侧骨骺在3岁时闭合，而椎体尾侧骨骺在6至9岁的马中不连续，在12岁及以上的马中完全消失。在5匹马的椎间盘中观察到少量纤维软骨导致纤维环纤维中断。这种变化类似于汉森II型椎间盘突出。
