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Vertebra
In the vertebrate spinal column, each vertebra is an
Vertebra
irregular bone with a complex structure composed of
bone and some hyaline cartilage, the proportions of which
vary according to the segment of the backbone and the
species of vertebrate.
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Function
Clinical significance
Other animals
Additional images
See also
References
External links
Structure
In the human vertebral column the size of the vertebrae varies according to placement in the
vertebral column, spinal loading, posture and pathology. Along the length of the spine the
vertebrae change to accommodate different needs related to stress and mobility.[1] Each
vertebra is an irregular bone.
attachment to the
intervertebral discs.
These surfaces are
the vertebral
endplates which
are in direct contact
with the
intervertebral discs
and form the joint.
The endplates are
formed from a
thickened layer of
Anatomy of a vertebra
the cancellous bone
of the vertebral
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body, the top layer being more dense. The endplates function to contain the adjacent discs, to
evenly spread the applied loads, and to provide anchorage for the collagen fibers of the disc.
They also act as a semi-permeable interface for the exchange of water and solutes.[5]
The vertebral arch is formed by pedicles and laminae. Two pedicles extend from the sides of the
vertebral body to join the body to the arch. The pedicles are short thick processes that extend,
one from each side, posteriorly, from the junctions of the posteriolateral surfaces of the
centrum, on its upper surface. From each pedicle a broad plate, a lamina, projects backwards
and medialwards to join and complete the vertebral arch and form the posterior border of the
vertebral foramen, which completes the triangle of the vertebral foramen.[6] The upper surfaces
of the laminae are rough to give attachment to the ligamenta flava. These ligaments connect the
laminae of adjacent vertebra along the length of the spine from the level of the second cervical
vertebra. Above and below the pedicles are shallow depressions called vertebral notches
(superior and inferior). When the vertebrae articulate the notches align with those on adjacent
vertebrae and these form the openings of the intervertebral foramina. The foramina allow the
entry and exit of the spinal nerves from each vertebra, together with associated blood vessels.
The articulating vertebrae provide a strong pillar of support for the body.
There are seven processes projecting from the vertebra; a spinous process, two transverse
processes, and four articular processes. A major part of a vertebra is a backward extending
spinous process (sometimes called the neural spine) which projects centrally. This process
points dorsally and caudally from the junction of the laminae. The spinous process serves to
attach muscles and ligaments.
The two transverse processes, one on each side of the vertebral body, project from either
side at the point where the lamina joins the pedicle, between the superior and inferior articular
processes. They also serve for the attachment of muscles and ligaments, in particular the
intertransverse ligaments. There is a facet on each of the transverse processes of thoracic
vertebrae which articulates with the tubercle of the rib.[7] A facet on each side of the thoracic
vertebral body articulates with the head of the rib. There are superior and inferior articular
facet joints on each side of the vertebra, which serve to restrict the range of movement possible.
These facets are joined by a thin portion of the vertebral arch called the pars interarticularis.
The transverse process of a lumbar vertebra is also sometimes called the costal[8][9] or
costiform process[10] because it corresponds to a rudimentary rib (costa) which, as opposed
to the thorax, is not developed in the lumbar region.[10][11]
Regional variation
Vertebrae take their names from the regions of the vertebral column that they occupy. There
are thirty-three vertebrae in the human vertebral column—seven cervical vertebrae, twelve
thoracic vertebrae, five lumbar vertebrae, five fused sacral vertebrae forming the sacrum and
three to five coccygeal vertebrae, forming the coccyx. The regional vertebrae increase in size as
they progress downwards but become smaller in the coccyx.
Cervical vertebrae
There are seven cervical vertebrae (but eight cervical spinal nerves), designated C1 through C7.
These bones are, in general, small and delicate. Their spinous processes are short (with the
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Cervical vertebrae possess transverse foramina to allow for the vertebral arteries to pass
through on their way to the foramen magnum to end in the circle of Willis. These are the
smallest, lightest vertebrae and the vertebral foramina are triangular in shape. The spinous
processes are short and often bifurcated (the spinous process of C7, however, is not bifurcated,
and is substantially longer than that of the other cervical spinous processes).
The atlas differs from the other vertebrae in that it has no body and no spinous process. It has
instead a ring-like form, having an anterior and a posterior arch and two lateral masses. At the
outside centre points of both arches there is a tubercle, an anterior tubercle and a posterior
tubercle, for the attachment of muscles. The front surface of the anterior arch is convex and its
anterior tubercle gives attachment to the longus colli muscle. The posterior tubercle is a
rudimentary spinous process and gives attachment to the rectus capitis posterior minor muscle.
The spinous process is small so as not to interfere with the movement between the atlas and the
skull. On the under surface is a facet for articulation with the dens of the axis.
Specific to the cervical vertebra is the transverse foramen (also known as foramen
transversarium). This is an opening on each of the transverse processes which gives passage to
the vertebral artery and vein and a sympathetic nerve plexus. On the cervical vertebrae other
than the atlas, the anterior and posterior tubercles are on either side of the transverse foramen
on each transverse process. The anterior tubercle on the sixth cervical vertebra is called the
carotid tubercle because it separates the carotid artery from the vertebral artery.
There is a hook-shaped uncinate process on the side edges of the top surface of the bodies of
the third to the seventh cervical vertebrae and of the first thoracic vertebra. Together with the
vertebral disc, this uncinate process prevents a vertebra from sliding backwards off the vertebra
below it and limits lateral flexion (side-bending). Luschka's joints involve the vertebral uncinate
processes.
The spinous process on C7 is distinctively long and gives the name vertebra prominens to this
vertebra. Also a cervical rib can develop from C7 as an anatomical variation.
The term cervicothoracic is often used to refer to the cervical and thoracic vertebrae
together, and sometimes also their surrounding areas.
Thoracic vertebrae
The twelve thoracic vertebrae and their transverse processes have surfaces that articulate with
the ribs. Some rotation can occur between the thoracic vertebrae, but their connection with the
rib cage prevents much flexion or other movement. They may also be known as "dorsal
vertebrae" in the human context.
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The thoracolumbar division refers to the thoracic and A typical thoracic vertebra
lumbar vertebrae together, and sometimes also their
surrounding areas.
The thoracic vertebrae attach to ribs and so have articular facets specific to them; these are the
superior, transverse and inferior costal facets. As the vertebrae progress down the spine they
increase in size to match up with the adjoining lumbar section.
Lumbar vertebrae
The five lumbar
vertebrae are the
largest of the vertebrae,
their robust
construction being
necessary for
supporting greater
Lumbar vertebra showing
weight than the other
mammillary processes
vertebrae. They allow
A typical lumbar vertebra
significant flexion,
extension and moderate lateral flexion (side-bending).
The discs between these vertebrae create a natural lumbar lordosis (a spinal curvature that is
concave posteriorly). This is due to the difference in thickness between the front and back parts
of the intervertebral discs.
The lumbar vertebrae are located between the ribcage and the pelvis and are the largest of the
vertebrae. The pedicles are strong, as are the laminae, and the spinous process is thick and
broad. The vertebral foramen is large and triangular. The transverse processes are long and
narrow and three tubercles can be seen on them. These are a lateral cosiform process, a
mammillary process and an accessory process.[12] The superior, or upper tubercle is the
mammillary process which connects with the superior articular process. The multifidus muscle
attaches to the mammillary process and this muscle extends through the length of the vertebral
column, giving support. The inferior, or lower tubercle is the accessory process and this is found
at the back part of the base of the transverse process. The term lumbosacral is often used to
refer to the lumbar and sacral vertebrae together, and sometimes includes their surrounding
areas.
Sacrum
There are five sacral vertebrae (S1–S5) which are fused in maturity, into one large bone, the
sacrum, with no intervertebral discs.[13] The sacrum with the ilium forms a sacroiliac joint on
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Coccyx
The last three to five coccygeal vertebrae (but usually four) (Co1–
Co5) make up the tailbone or coccyx. There are no intervertebral discs.
Sacrum
Development
Somites form in the early embryo and some of these develop into sclerotomes. The sclerotomes
form the vertebrae as well as the rib cartilage and part of the occipital bone. From their initial
location within the somite, the sclerotome cells migrate medially towards the notochord. These
cells meet the sclerotome cells from the other side of the paraxial mesoderm. The lower half of
one sclerotome fuses with the upper half of the adjacent one to form each vertebral body.[14]
From this vertebral body, sclerotome cells move dorsally and surround the developing spinal
cord, forming the vertebral arch. Other cells move distally to the costal processes of thoracic
vertebrae to form the ribs.[14]
Function
Functions of vertebrae include:
1. Support of the vertebrae function in the skeletomuscular system by forming the vertebral
column to support the body
2. Protection. Vertebrae contain a vertebral foramen for the passage of the spinal canal and its
enclosed spinal cord and covering meninges. They also afford sturdy protection for the
spinal cord. The upper and lower surfaces of the centrum are flattened and rough in order
to give attachment to the intervertebral discs.
3. Movement. The vertebrae also provide the openings, the intervertebral foramina which
allow the entry and exit of the spinal nerves. Similarly to the surfaces of the centrum, the
upper and lower surfaces of the fronts of the laminae are flattened and rough to give
attachment to the ligamenta flava. Working together in the vertebral column their sections
provide controlled movement and flexibility.
4. Feeding of the intervertebral discs through the reflex (hyaline ligament) plate that separates
the cancellous bone of the vertebral body from each disk
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Clinical significance
There are a number of congenital vertebral anomalies, mostly involving variations in the shape
or number of vertebrae, and many of which are unproblematic. Others though can cause
compression of the spinal cord. Wedge-shaped vertebrae, called hemivertebrae can cause an
angle to form in the spine which can result in the spinal curvature diseases of kyphosis, scoliosis
and lordosis. Severe cases can cause spinal cord compression. Block vertebrae where some
vertebrae have become fused can cause problems. Spina bifida can result from the incomplete
formation of the vertebral arch.
Spondylolysis is a defect in the pars interarticularis of the vertebral arch. In most cases this
occurs in the lowest of the lumbar vertebrae (L5), but may also occur in the other lumbar
vertebrae, as well as in the thoracic vertebrae.
Spinal disc herniation, more commonly called a slipped disc, is the result of a tear in the outer
ring (anulus fibrosus) of the intervertebral disc, which lets some of the soft gel-like material, the
nucleus pulposus, bulge out in a hernia. This may be treated by a minimally-invasive
endoscopic procedure called Tessys method.
A laminectomy is a surgical operation to remove the laminae in order to access the spinal
canal.[15] The removal of just part of a lamina is called a laminotomy.
A pinched nerve caused by pressure from a disc, vertebra or scar tissue might be remedied by a
foraminotomy to broaden the intervertebral foramina and relieve pressure. It can also be
caused by a foramina stenosis, a narrowing of the nerve opening, as a result of arthritis.
Another condition is spondylolisthesis when one vertebra slips forward onto another. The
reverse of this condition is retrolisthesis where one vertebra slips backwards onto another.
The vertebral pedicle is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty,
kyphoplasty, and spinal fusion procedures.
The arcuate foramen is a common anatomical variation more frequently seen in females. It is a
bony bridge found on the first cervical vertebra, the atlas where it covers the groove for the
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vertebral artery.[16]
Degenerative disc disease is a condition usually associated with ageing in which one or more
discs degenerate. This can often be a painfree condition but can also be very painful.
Other animals
In other animals the vertebrae take the same regional names
except for the coccygeal – in animals with tails the separate
vertebrae are usually called the caudal vertebrae. Because
of the different types of locomotion and support needed
between the aquatic and other vertebrates, the vertebrae
between them show the most variation, though basic features
are shared. The spinous processes which are backward
extending are directed upwards in animals without an erect Regions of vertebrae in the goat
stance. These processes can be very large in the larger animals
since they attach to the muscles and ligaments of the body. In
the elephant the vertebrae are connected by tight joints, which limit the backbone's flexibility.
Spinous processes are exaggerated in some animals, such as the extinct Dimetrodon and
Spinosaurus, where they form a sailback or finback.
Vertebrae with saddle-shaped articular surfaces on their bodies, called "heterocoelous", allow
vertebrae to flex both vertically and horizontally while preventing twisting motions. Such
vertebrae are found in the necks of birds and some turtles.[17]
In many species, though not in mammals, the cervical vertebrae bear ribs. In many groups,
such as lizards and saurischian dinosaurs, the cervical ribs are large; in birds, they are small
and completely fused to the vertebrae. The transverse processes of mammals are homologous to
the cervical ribs of other amniotes. In the whale the cervical vertebrae are typically fused, an
adaptation trading flexibility for stability during swimming.[22][23] All mammals except
manatees and sloths have seven cervical vertebrae, whatever the length of the neck.[24] This
includes seemingly unlikely animals such as the giraffe, the camel, and the blue whale, for
example. Birds usually have more cervical vertebrae with most having a highly flexible neck
consisting of 13–25 vertebrae.
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In all mammals, the thoracic vertebrae are connected to ribs and their bodies differ from the
other regional vertebrae due to the presence of facets. Each vertebra has a facet on each side of
the vertebral body, which articulates with the head of a rib. There is also a facet on each of the
transverse processes which articulates with the tubercle of a rib. The number of thoracic
vertebrae varies considerably across the species.[25] Most marsupials have thirteen, but koalas
only have eleven.[26] The norm is twelve to fifteen in mammals, (twelve in the human), though
there are from eighteen to twenty in the horse, tapir, rhinoceros and elephant. In certain sloths
there is an extreme number of twenty-five and at the other end only nine in the cetacean.[27]
There are fewer lumbar vertebrae in chimpanzees and gorillas, which have three in contrast
to the five in the genus Homo. This reduction in number gives an inability of the lumbar spine
to lordose but gives an anatomy that favours vertical climbing, and hanging ability more suited
to feeding locations in high-canopied regions.[28] The bonobo differs by having four lumbar
vertebrae.
Caudal vertebrae are the bones that make up the tails of vertebrates.[29] They range in
number from a few to fifty, depending on the length of the animal's tail. In humans and other
tailless primates, they are called the coccygeal vertebrae, number from three to five and are
fused into the coccyx.[30]
Additional images
See also
Limbus vertebra
Functional spinal unit
Pott disease
Scheuermann's disease
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 96 (https://archive.org/stream/
anatomyofhumanbo1918gray#page/96/mode/2up) of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy
(1918)
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External links
Atlas image: back_bone13 (https://www.med.umich.edu/lrc/coursepages/m1/anatomy2010/
html/atlas/back_bone13.html) at the University of Michigan Health System – Axis & Atlas
Articulated, Posterior View
Anatomy image: skel/atlas2 (https://homes.bio.psu.edu/faculty/strauss/anatomy/skel/atlas2.
htm) at Human Anatomy Lecture (Biology 129), Pennsylvania State University
Anatomy photo:26:os-0110 (http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/haonline/labs/l26/os0110.
htm) at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Anatomy figure: 02:01-10 (http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/haonline/figs/l02/020110.ht
m) at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Anatomy figure: 18:02-01 (http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/haonline/figs/l18/180201.ht
m) at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Vertebra (https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/bluelink/curricula/first-year-medical-curriculu
m/sequence-1-Foundations/session-2-spinal-cord-and-peripheral-nervous-system/bluelink)
- BlueLink Anatomy - University of Michigan Medical School
Atlas image: back_bone28 (https://www.med.umich.edu/lrc/coursepages/m1/anatomy2010/
html/atlas/back_bone28.html) at the University of Michigan Health System
Anatomy figure: 02:02-08 (http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/haonline/figs/l02/020208.ht
m) at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
The shapes of the articulating ends of vertebrae (https://ucumberlands.edu/academics/biolo
gy/faculty/kuss/courses/vertbraeribssternum/amphicoelousETC.htm) – University of the
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Cumberlands
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