Intervertebral discs are primarily formed from fibrocartilage , a specialized type of connective tissue. Fibrocartilage allows the discs to act as strong yet slightly flexible shock absorbers between the vertebrae.

What tissue forms intervertebral discs?

  • The main tissue type is fibrocartilage, which is a form of connective tissue rich in collagen fibers.
  • This fibrocartilage forms the tough outer ring of the disc, known as the annulus fibrosus, surrounding a softer, gel-like center called the nucleus pulposus.

Quick Scoop on structure

  • Annulus fibrosus: Made of concentric layers of fibrocartilage with abundant type I and type II collagen, giving tensile strength and resistance to twisting.
  • Nucleus pulposus: A gelatinous, proteoglycan- and water-rich core that helps the disc absorb compressive forces like a cushion.

Why fibrocartilage is used

  • Fibrocartilage is tougher than hyaline or elastic cartilage, so it withstands high pressure and mechanical stress in the spine.
  • Its combination of strong collagen fibers and limited flexibility makes it well suited to keep vertebrae stable while still allowing bending and twisting.

TL;DR: Intervertebral discs are made of fibrocartilage connective tissue (especially in the annulus fibrosus), with a gel-like nucleus pulposus inside that helps absorb shock between vertebrae.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.