Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38156054›Full record

ReviewJOR spine2023

Cartilaginous endplates: A comprehensive review on a neglected structure in intervertebral disc research.

Katherine B Crump, Ahmad Alminnawi, Paola Bermudez-Lekerika, Roger Compte, Francesco Gualdi, Terence McSweeney, Estefano Muñoz-Moya, Andrea Nüesch, Liesbet Geris, Stefan Dudli and 4 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in JOR spine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 64 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
64citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

64 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Proteomic signature of human annulus fibrosus and cartilage endplate: divergent matrisomal architectures reveal complementary roles in intervertebral disc homeostasis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Review
  19. Article
  20. Article

4 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Katherine B CrumpTissue Engineering for Orthopaedics & Mechanobiology, Bone & Joint Program, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Medical Faculty University of Bern Bern Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5328-667X
Ahmad AlminnawiGIGA In Silico Medicine University of Liège Liège Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9998-3275
Paola Bermudez-LekerikaTissue Engineering for Orthopaedics & Mechanobiology, Bone & Joint Program, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Medical Faculty University of Bern Bern Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6858-8213
Roger CompteTwin Research & Genetic Epidemiology St. Thomas' Hospital, King's College London London UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7034-1092
Francesco GualdiInstitut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM) Barcelona Spain.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0449-9884
Terence McSweeneyResearch Unit of Health Sciences and Technology University of Oulu Oulu Finland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0966-210X
Estefano Muñoz-MoyaBCN MedTech, Department of Information and Communication Technologies Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5222-4071
Andrea NüeschDivision of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health University of Sheffield Sheffield UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0962-8705
Liesbet GerisGIGA In Silico Medicine University of Liège Liège Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8180-1445
Stefan DudliCenter of Experimental Rheumatology Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7351-713X
Jaro KarppinenResearch Unit of Health Sciences and Technology University of Oulu Oulu Finland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2158-6042
Jérôme NoaillyBCN MedTech, Department of Information and Communication Technologies Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3446-7621
Christine Le MaitreDivision of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health University of Sheffield Sheffield UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4489-7107
Benjamin GantenbeinTissue Engineering for Orthopaedics & Mechanobiology, Bone & Joint Program, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), Medical Faculty University of Bern Bern Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9005-0655

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The cartilaginous endplates (CEP) are key components of the intervertebral disc (IVD) necessary for sustaining the nutrition of the disc while distributing mechanical loads and preventing the disc from bulging into the adjacent vertebral body. The size, shape, and composition of the CEP are essential in maintaining its function, and degeneration of the CEP is considered a contributor to early IVD degeneration. In addition, the CEP is implicated in Modic changes, which are often associated with low back pain. This review aims to tackle the current knowledge of the CEP regarding its structure, composition, permeability, and mechanical role in a healthy disc, how they change with degeneration, and how they connect to IVD degeneration and low back pain. Additionally, the authors suggest a standardized naming convention regarding the CEP and bony endplate and suggest avoiding the term vertebral endplate. Currently, there is limited data on the CEP itself as reported data is often a combination of CEP and bony endplate, or the CEP is considered as articular cartilage. However, it is clear the CEP is a unique tissue type that differs from articular cartilage, bony endplate, and other IVD tissues. Thus, future research should investigate the CEP separately to fully understand its role in healthy and degenerated IVDs. Further, most IVD regeneration therapies in development failed to address, or even considered the CEP, despite its key role in nutrition and mechanical stability within the IVD. Thus, the CEP should be considered and potentially targeted for future sustainable treatments.

Indexed as

biologic therapiesbiomechanicsdegenerationpre‐clinical models

Identifiers

PMID38156054
PMCPMC10751983

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.