BACKGROUND:The clinical research have found that the interbervebral disc herniation often occurs in several members or even al the members of a family, and the location, reason and symptom are basical y the same, indicating that genes play an important role in this kind of disease. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the apoptosis Fas gene expression characteristics of lumbar disc in the familial patients with intervertebral disc herniation. METHODS:Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR was used to test Fas gene expression of vertebral pulp and cartilage endplate in the intervertebral disc among 15 familial patients, 21 ordinary patients and five fresh cadavers. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Fas gene expression level of endplate of familial and ordinary patients with intervertebral disc herniation was higher than that of fresh cadavers, and there was no significant difference (P<0.05);there was no significant difference in Fas gene expression in endplates between familial patients and ordinary patients with intervertebral disc herniation (P>0.05). Compared with the vertebral pulps of ordinary patients with intervertebral disc herniation and fresh cadavers, there was no significant difference in the Fas expression of vertebral pulps of familial patients with intervertebral disc herniation (P>0.05). The increasing Fas gene expression may be secondary in the endplates of familial patients with intervertebral disc herniation, which can prevent intervertebral disc degeneration through preventing the endplate degeneration.