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Increases of calcium and magnesium and decrease of iron in human posterior longitudinal ligaments of the cervical spine with aging

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Abstract

To elucidate compositional changes of ligaments with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the posterior longitudinal ligaments (PLLs) by inductively coupled plasma—atomic emission spectrometry. After the ordinary dissection, PLLs were resected from the subjects ranging in age from 65 to 95 yr. The PLLs of the cervical spine were resected between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae, the PLLs of the thoracic spine between the fifth and seventh thoracic vertebrae, and the PLLs of the lumbar spine between the second and third lumbar vertebrae. Calcium and magnesium increased progressively with aging in the PLLs of the cervical spine, but they did not increase with aging in the PLLs of the thoracic and lumbar spine. In contrast, iron decreased gradually with aging in the PLLs of the cervical spine. Regarding the relationships among elements, significant correlations were found among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium in the PLLs of the cervical spine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, 634-8521, Nara, Japan

    Masako Utsumi, Cho Azuma, Setsuko Tohno, Yoshiyuki Tohno, Yumi Moriwake & Masa-Oki Yamada

  2. Laboratory of Environmental Biology, Department of Life Science, School of Sciences and Engineering, Kinki University, Higashi-Osaka, 577-8502, Osaka, Japan

    Takeshi Minami

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  1. Masako Utsumi
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  2. Cho Azuma
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  4. Yoshiyuki Tohno
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  7. Masa-Oki Yamada
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Utsumi, M., Azuma, C., Tohno, S. et al. Increases of calcium and magnesium and decrease of iron in human posterior longitudinal ligaments of the cervical spine with aging. Biol Trace Elem Res 103, 217–227 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1385/BTER:103:3:217

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/BTER:103:3:217

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