Table 1

Demographic features of specimens studied for immunocytochemical localization of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and of its receptor
Subject number
 Site
 Thompson score
 Age (years), gender
 Other information
 Herniated?
1
 L4 to L5: OA, IA, nuc
 1.5
 45, female
 Cooperative Human Tissue Network – unknown cause of death
 -

L3 to L4: OA, IA, nuc
 2

-
2
 L4 to L5
 2
 35, female
 Surgical specimen
 No
3
 L4 to L5
 2
 32, female
 Surgical specimen
 Yes
4
 L5 to S1
 2
 21, male
 Surgical specimen
 Yes
5
 L4 to L5
 2
 44, female
 Surgical specimen
 Yes
6
 L4 to L5
 2
 37, female
 Surgical specimen
 Yes
7
 L4 to L5: OA, IA, nuc
 2.5
 40, male
 Cooperative Human Tissue Network – cause of death, myocardial infarct
 -
8
 L4 to L5
 3
 46, female
 Surgical specimen
 No
9
 L3 to L4
 3
 53, male
 Surgical specimen
 Yes (recurrent)
10
 L4 to L5
 3
 53, male
 Surgical specimen
 No
11
 L4 to L5, L5 to S1
 3
 29, female
 Surgical specimen
 No
12
 L4 to L5
 3
 54, male
 Surgical specimen
 Yes
13
 L2 to L3
 3
 58, male
 Surgical specimen
 Yes
14
 L1 to L2: OA, IA, nuc
 3
 33, female
 Cooperative Human Tissue Network – cause of death, pulmonary embolism
 -
14
 T12 to L1: OA, IA, nuc
 3.5

-
14
 L3 to L4: OA, IA, nuc
 4

-
15
 L1 to L2, L2 to L3, L3 to L4
 4
 59, female
 Surgical specimen
 No
16
 L4 to L5
 4
 39, female
 Surgical specimen
 Yes (recurrent)
17
 L5 to S1
 4
 48, female
 Surgical specimen
 Yes (recurrent)
18
 L2 to L3, L3 to L4, L4 to L5, L5 to S1
 4
 56, female
 Surgical specimen
 No
19
 L4 to L5
 4
 19, male
 Surgical specimen
 No
20
 L3 to L4
 4
 78, male
 Surgical specimen
 Yes
21
 L5 to S1
 5
 44, female
 Surgical specimen
 No
22
 L5 to S1
 5
 39, male
 Surgical specimen
 No

IA, inner annulus; L, lumbar; nuc, nucleus; OA, outer annulus; L, lumbar.

Gruber et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2008 10:R82   doi:10.1186/ar2456