Demonstration of vertebra

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vertebra anatomy parts labeled diagram

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Here is a comprehensive demonstration of the vertebra, drawn from Gray's Anatomy for Students and the THIEME Atlas of General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System.

Demonstration of a Typical Vertebra

Overview

The vertebral column consists of 33 vertebrae: 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral (fused), and 4 coccygeal (fused). A typical vertebra has two main parts: the vertebral body and the vertebral arch.

1. Structural Components

A. Vertebral Body

The anterior, weight-bearing part of the vertebra.
Cylindrical in shape; contains cancellous (spongy) bone surrounded by a cortical shell.
Increases in size from C2 → L5 as the weight it must support increases.
Adjacent vertebral bodies are separated by fibrocartilaginous intervertebral discs.

B. Vertebral Arch

Attached firmly to the posterior surface of the vertebral body. It has two parts:

Part	Description
Pedicles (×2)	Bony pillars anchoring the arch to the vertebral body; notched above and below to form intervertebral foramina
Laminae (×2)	Flat sheets of bone extending from each pedicle, meeting in the midline to form the "roof" of the arch

The vertebral body + arch together enclose the vertebral foramen. All foramina aligned together constitute the vertebral (spinal) canal, which houses and protects the spinal cord.

2. Processes of the Vertebral Arch

Seven processes arise from the vertebral arch:

Process	Number	Location	Function
Spinous process	1	Projects posteroinferiorly from junction of laminae	Muscle & ligament attachment
Transverse process	2	Projects posterolaterally from pedicle-lamina junction	Muscle & ligament attachment; rib articulation (thoracic)
Superior articular process	2	Projects superiorly from pedicle-lamina junction	Articulates with inferior articular process of vertebra above
Inferior articular process	2	Projects inferiorly from pedicle-lamina junction	Articulates with superior articular process of vertebra below

3. Diagrams

Superior & Lateral View — Gray's Anatomy for Students

Typical Vertebra — Superior and Lateral Views

Fig. 2.6 — A: Superior view showing vertebral body, pedicles, transverse processes, laminae, and spinous process. B: Lateral view showing vertebral notches and articular processes.

3D Schematic — THIEME Atlas of General Anatomy

Structural Elements of a Vertebra — 3D View

Left posterosuperior view showing the vertebral body, arch, pedicle, lamina, transverse processes, superior and inferior articular processes, and spinous process.

Superior & Superolateral Views — Gray's Anatomy for Students

Typical Vertebra — Superior and Superolateral Views

Superior view (left) and superolateral oblique view (right) with vertebral notches clearly labeled.

4. Vertebral Notches & Intervertebral Foramina

Each pedicle has a superior vertebral notch (shallow) and an inferior vertebral notch (deep). When adjacent vertebrae articulate, the notches of one vertebra combine with those of the next to form the intervertebral foramen, through which spinal nerves and blood vessels pass.

5. Costal Elements

Every vertebra has a costal (rib) element, but its expression varies by region:

Region	Costal Element Expression
Thoracic	Large — form the ribs, articulating with vertebral body and transverse process
Cervical	Small — form the anterior tubercle; together with posterior tubercle, enclose the transverse foramen
Lumbar	Incorporated into large costal (transverse) processes
Sacral	Fused into the lateral part (ala) of the sacrum

Occasionally, cervical ribs develop (causing scalenus syndrome — compression of the brachial plexus and subclavian artery), or lumbar ribs appear (clinically insignificant).

6. Regional Variation Summary

Feature	Cervical	Thoracic	Lumbar
Body size	Small	Medium	Large
Vertebral foramen	Triangular, large	Circular, small	Triangular, medium
Spinous process	Short, bifid (C3–C6); long at C7 (vertebra prominens)	Long, downward-sloping	Short, broad, horizontal
Transverse process	Bears foramen transversarium	Bears costal facet	Large costal processes
Special feature	Atlas (C1) & Axis (C2) — specialized for head movement	Rib articulations	Supports most body weight

Sources:

Gray's Anatomy for Students, pp. 73, 84
General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System (THIEME Atlas), pp. 127–128

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