Fast Facts - Vertebrae Flashcards
What is the function of the Superior Articular Process?
The restriction of movement.
What is the function of the vertebral body?
To support body weight
The spinous process and transverse process are the sites for?
Muscle attachment and movement.
What is the function of the vertebral arch?
To protect the spinal cord
What is the vertebral arch made of?
Lamina (roof of house) and pedicles (walls or sides of house).
Which direction do the inferior articular facets face?
Anterolaterally.
Which direction do the superior articular facets face?
Posteromedially.
What are the cervical vertebrae characterized by?
The presence of foramina in their transverse processes.
Which vertebrae does not have a spinous process?
C1 or Atlas.
What is the Uncus do?
Controls orientation of vertebrae.
Which artery goes through the transverse foramen of C1-C6?
The Vertebral Artery.
On the cervical vertebrae, what is the transverse process made up of?
The anterior tubercle, posterior tubercle, and the groove for the spinal nerve.
What only occurs at C6?
The carotid tubercle
C3-C5 have short and bifid spinous processes. For whom is this less common?
BLACK PEOPLE
What is between the anterior and posterior tubercle of the cervical vertebrae?
Exiting nerve roots
What is special about the spinous process in the cervical vertebrae?
Some are bifid, but only in cervical.
What is the function of the intervertebral discs?
Provide strong attachments between vertebral bodies, permit movement, have resilient deformability, serve as shock absorbers.
Where are the unconvertable "joints" (of Luschka) located?
Between the uncinate processes of C3-C6 vertebrae and the beveled inferolateral surfaces of the vertebral bodies superior to them.
What is a typical vertebrae consist of?
Vertebral body, vertebral arch, and seven processes.
What does the vertebral canal contain?
Spinal cord, meninges, fat, spinal nerve roots, and vessels.
What does the IV foramina give passage to?
Spinal nerve roots and accompanying vessels and contain the spinal ganglia.
What are the primary curvatures of the spine?
Thoracic and Sacral
What are the secondary curvatures of the spine?
Cervical and Lumbar
At the fetus stage, the entire spine is curved
Concave anteriorly.
How many vertebrae are there?
7 Cervical 12 Thoracic 5 Lumbar 5 Sacral 4 Coccyx

- Transverse Ligament Attachment Point
- Anterior Arch
- Anterior Tubercle
- Facet for the dens
- Lateral Mass
- Vertebral Foramen
- Posterior Arch
- Posterior Tubercle
- Groove for Vertebral Artery
- Transverse Foramen
- Transverse Process
- Superior articular facet

- Tranverse Process
- Facet for atlas
- Dens
- Superior Articular Facet
- Inferior Articular Process
- Spinous Process (bifid)

- Body
- Spinous process
- Transverse process
- Pedicle
- Vertebral foramen
- Lamina
- Epiphysial Rim
- Superior Articular Facet
- Inferior Articular Facet
- Superior Articular Process
*11. Costal Facet
**thoracic Only**