Are Spinal Discs Cartilage

The discs throughout the spine have three primary functions: They act as a shock absorbers in the spine, positioned between each bony vertebra. They act as tough ligaments that hold the vertebrae of the spine together. They are cartilaginous joints that allow for slight mobility in the spine.

What are spinal discs filled with?

The vertebral column provides protection to the spinal cord that runs through its central cavity. Between each vertebra is an intervertebral disk. The disks are filled with a gelatinous substance, called the nucleus pulposus, which provides cushioning to the spinal column.

What are spinal discs made from?

The intervertebral discs are complex structures that consist of a thick outer ring of fibrous cartilage termed the annulus fibrosus, which surrounds a more gelatinous core known as the nucleus pulposus; the nucleus pulposus is sandwiched inferiorly and superiorly by cartilage end-plates.