Bone morphogenetic proteins and degenerative disk disease.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are involved not only in osteogenesis but also in chondrogenesis. They play an important role in the development and maintenance of the intervertebral disk (IVD). For this reason, an increasing amount of research has been performed to examine the relationship between BMPs and degenerative disk disease (DDD).

Pediatric and inherited neurovascular diseases.

Pediatric and inherited neurovascular syndromes have diverse presentations and treatments. Although many of these diseases are uncommon, they must be included in the differential diagnosis for children with strokes or hemorrhages. In neurosurgical practice, familial cavernous malformations, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), and moyamoya are the most frequently encountered of these diseases.