Vertebral column development and general features (dave's notes) Flashcards
What are the foetal curvatures? Which of these are retained?
Anterior curvature, flexion, concavity - retained in the thoracic, sacral and coccygeal parts
What happens to the curvature of the spine after birth?
Secondary curvature: lordosis in the cervical and lumbar regions
What encloses the foramen?
The ventral body and dorsal (neural) arch enclose the foramen
What does the dorsal arch give off?
Spinous and transverse processes
What are at the back and sides of the vertebral body?
The superior and inferior articular facets
What is between the body and the transverse process?
What is between the transverse and spinous process?
The pedicle
The lamina
Which is shorter: pedicles or body? Why?
The pedicles are shorter than the body to allow for foramina and the transmission of nerves
What is found at the transverse root?
The superior and interior articular processes
How do the vertebrae become ossified? At what point does this ossification fuse?
Ossifies in hyaline cartilage in three parts; centrum, right and left, at week 8. Fuses in year 2
How do costal elements develop?
In the thoracic regions costal elements develop separately as ribs. Elsewhere costal elements become fused with neural arches.
What do cervical vertebrae contain that differs from thoracic vertebrae?
The verterbrarterial foramen (produced by the costal elements)
What creates a cervical rib?
Elongation of the costal element of C7
How do thoracic vertebrae differ from cervical and lumbar vertebrae (one element)
Contains costal facets which are covered with hyaline cartilage
What are the transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae?
Costal elements
What happens to the costal elements of the sacrum?
The sacral elements are fused together with tier costal elements producing a lateral mass which articulates with the pelvis
