BME 20100 Lecture 6: Cervical and Thoracic Vertebra
24 Jan 2019
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Document Summary
The cervical vertebrae are the most cranial vertebrae and are characterized by transverse processes and prominent modifications to the 2 most cranial cervical vertebrae, c1 and c2. All mammals have 7 cervical vertebrae except for sloths and manatees. First cervical vertebra (c1): common name is atlas, c1 has modified articular processes, no spinous process, a significantly reduced body and modified, large transverse processes, which are referred to as the wings of the atlas. Cranial articular fovea: concave foveas lateral to the body that articulate with the occipital condyles of the skull. Caudal articular fovea: concave foveas lateral to the body that articulate with the second cervical vertebra (c2) Lateral vertebral foramen (plural: foramina): cranial lateral aspect of the right and left sides of c1 there are two openings, the first. Cervical peripheral spinal nerve passes through these foramina. Second cervical vertebra (c2): common name axis, the axis has an elongated spinous process.
