To test the hypothesis that senescent cells play a causal role in age‐associated disc degeneration, we used the p16‐3MR transgenic mouse model in which p16Ink4a‐positive senescent cells express the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase and thus can be selectively eliminated upon treatment with ganciclovir (GCV) (Chang et al., 2016; Demaria et al., 2014). This evidence concerns the gene CDKN2A and intervertebral disk degenerative disorder.