Small and large animal models of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration are of great value to study the progression of the disease and to validate the safety and the efficiency of new therapeutic treatments.
Usually one has to prove and validate safety and efficiency of therapeutical treatment first on small and then on large animals such as:

• Mouse
• Rat
• Rabbit
• Dog
• Goat and sheep
• Pig

Fluoroscopic picture of a needle inside a rabbit disc	MRI picture pointing out 2 degenerated discs	MRI picture of a healthy rabbit spine

Reproducibility, progression and severity of the induced degeneration vary according to the nature of the injury and the animal species. The nature of the injury can be of chemical (papain), physical (nucleus puncture, annulus fibrosus stab) or mechanical origin to injure the IVD and to cause the degeneration. 

Repair of the IVD can be assessed using in vivo and ex-vivo imaging such as X-rays (to assess the Disc High Index) and MRI (qualitative and quantitative analysis), immunohistology, biochemical and molecular analyses.

Example of possible disc staining on histological slides

HE staining staining         Toluidine blue staining      Masson Trichrome           Safranin-O staining

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