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In humans, cervical vertebrae are the smallest of the true vertebrae and can be readily distinguished from those of the thoracic or lumbar regions by the presence of a foramen (hole) in each transverse process, through which the vertebral artery, vertebral veins, and inferior cervical ganglion pass. The remainder of this article focuses upon ...
The bone is named for Atlas of Greek mythology, just as Atlas bore the weight of the heavens, the first cervical vertebra supports the head. [1] However, the term atlas was first used by the ancient Romans for the seventh cervical vertebra (C7) due to its suitability for supporting burdens. [2]
The number of vertebrae in a region can vary but overall the number remains the same. In a human spinal column, there are normally 33 vertebrae. [3] The upper 24 pre-sacral vertebrae are articulating and separated from each other by intervertebral discs, and the lower nine are fused in adults, five in the sacrum and four in the coccyx, or tailbone.
A typical vertebra has a body (vertebral body), also known as the centrumwhich consists of a large anterior middle portion, and a posterior vertebral arch, [2] also called a neural arch. [3] The body is composed of cancellous bone , which is the spongy type of osseous tissue , whose microanatomy has been specifically studied within the pedicle ...
The head rests on the top part of the vertebral column, with the skull joining at C1 (the first cervical vertebra known as the atlas). The skeletal section of the head and neck forms the top part of the axial skeleton and is made up of the skull, hyoid bone, auditory ossicles, and cervical spine. The skull can be further subdivided into:
Vertebral compartment contains the cervical vertebrae with cartilaginous discs between each vertebral body. The alignment of the vertebrae defines the shape of the human neck. [ 5 ] As the vertebrae bound the spinal canal, the cervical portion of the spinal cord is also found within the neck.
The inferior processes or postzygapophysis project downward from a higher vertebra, and their articular surfaces are directed more or less forward and outward. The articular surfaces are coated with hyaline cartilage. In the cervical vertebral column, the articular processes collectively form the articular pillars. These are the bony surfaces ...
Sectional organization of spinal cord. The spinal cord is the main pathway for information connecting the brain and peripheral nervous system. [3] [4] Much shorter than its protecting spinal column, the human spinal cord originates in the brainstem, passes through the foramen magnum, and continues through to the conus medullaris near the second lumbar vertebra before terminating in a fibrous ...