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Related Concept Videos

General Structure of a Vertebra01:30

General Structure of a Vertebra

A typical vertebra, with the exception of the sacrum and coccyx, consists of a body, a vertebral arch, and seven different projections termed processes. The anterior portion of the vertebrae, the body, supports about half the body’s weight. The vertebral bodies progressively increase in size and thickness from the cervical region to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. The intervertebral discs present between the bodies of adjacent vertebrae firmly unites them, forming a continuous column.
Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature01:16

Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature

The vertebral column or spine is a flexible column that supports the head, neck, and body and  allows for their movements. It also protects the spinal cord.
Regions of the Vertebral Column
In an adult, the spine is subdivided into five regions: the cervical, the thoracic, the lumbar, the sacral, and the coccygeal region. The spine initially develops as a series of 33 vertebrae; after 20 years of age, the nine bones in the sacral region, five sacral, and four coccygeal bones fuse to form the...
Articulations of the Vertebral Column01:28

Articulations of the Vertebral Column

In addition to being held together by the intervertebral discs, adjacent vertebrae also articulate with each other at synovial joints formed between the superior and inferior articular processes called zygapophysial joints (facet joints). These are plane joints that provide for only limited motions between the vertebrae. The orientation of the articular processes at these joints varies in different regions of the vertebral column and serves to determine the types of motions available in each...
Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age01:09

Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age

The upper and lower limb initially develops as a small bulge called a limb bud, which appears on the lateral side of the early embryo. The upper limb bud appears near the end of the fourth week of development, with the lower limb bud appearing shortly after.
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
The Thoracic Cage: Ribs01:20

The Thoracic Cage: Ribs

Ribs are curved, flattened bones forming the thoracic cavity wall with the thoracic muscles. There are 12 pairs of thoracic ribs. The posterior ends of all the ribs articulate with the T1–T12 thoracic vertebrae. In contrast,the anterior ends of most ribs attach to the sternum via their costal cartilages.
Parts of a Typical Rib
A typical rib has a head, neck, and body. The posterior end of the rib is called the head, followed by a narrow neck. The head articulates primarily with the costal facet...
Overview of the Axial Skeleton01:09

Overview of the Axial Skeleton

The skeleton is subdivided into two major divisions—the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The axial skeleton forms the vertical, central axis of the body. It includes all of the bones of the head, neck, chest, and back. It protects the brain, spinal cord, heart, and lungs. It also serves as the attachment site for muscles that move the head, neck, and back and for muscles that act across the shoulder and hip joints to move their corresponding limbs.
The axial skeleton of the adult...

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Using Inducible Osteoblastic Lineage-Specific Stat3 Knockout Mice to Study Alveolar Bone Remodeling During Orthodontic Tooth Movement
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Using Inducible Osteoblastic Lineage-Specific Stat3 Knockout Mice to Study Alveolar Bone Remodeling During Orthodontic Tooth Movement

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Biomechanical allometry in hominoid thoracic vertebrae.

C J Hernandez1, D A Loomis, M M Cotter

  • 1Musculoskeletal Mechanics and Materials Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. christopher.hernandez@case.edu

Journal of Human Evolution
|May 12, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Human vertebrae are larger but less dense than other hominoids, yet maintain comparable bone strength relative to body mass. This suggests adaptations in human vertebral structure for efficient biomechanical performance.

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Precision Measurements and Parametric Models of Vertebral Endplates
10:35

Precision Measurements and Parametric Models of Vertebral Endplates

Published on: September 17, 2019

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Using Inducible Osteoblastic Lineage-Specific Stat3 Knockout Mice to Study Alveolar Bone Remodeling During Orthodontic Tooth Movement
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Using Inducible Osteoblastic Lineage-Specific Stat3 Knockout Mice to Study Alveolar Bone Remodeling During Orthodontic Tooth Movement

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Precision Measurements and Parametric Models of Vertebral Endplates
10:35

Precision Measurements and Parametric Models of Vertebral Endplates

Published on: September 17, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Comparative anatomy
  • Biomechanics
  • Human evolution

Background:

  • Spinal morphology varies significantly between humans and other hominoids.
  • Internal vertebral morphology (density) and biomechanical performance remain less understood in human-primate comparisons.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare internal morphology and biomechanical performance of thoracic vertebrae between humans and other hominoids.
  • To investigate how vertebral bone strength scales with body mass across hominoids.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized density-calibrated computed tomography (CT) images of thoracic vertebral bodies from humans and other hominoids.
  • Estimated vertebral bone strength in axial compression and anteroposterior bending.
  • Analyzed scaling relationships between body mass and vertebral strength.

Main Results:

  • Vertebral bone strength scales with body mass (M) via power laws (b=0.89 for compression, b=1.89 for bending) across hominoids.
  • Humans exhibit disproportionately larger vertebral bodies (length, volume) and significantly lower bone density compared to other hominoids.
  • No significant differences in body mass-strength relationships were found among hominoids.

Conclusions:

  • Reduced human vertebral bone density is linked to increased cancellous bone porosity.
  • Increased vertebral size in humans represents a functional adaptation during growth.
  • Human vertebral structure achieves comparable strength relative to body mass despite lower density.