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Related Concept Videos

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...
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.
Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints01:17

Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints

As the name indicates, at a cartilaginous joint, the adjacent bones are united by cartilage, a tough but flexible type of connective tissue. Unlike synovial joints, these types of joints lack a joint cavity and involve bones joined together by either hyaline cartilage or fibrocartilage.
There are two types of cartilaginous joints:
Synchondrosis
A synchondrosis ("joined by cartilage") is a cartilaginous joint where bones are connected by hyaline cartilage. Synchondrosis may be temporary or...
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...
Introduction to the Skeletal System01:20

Introduction to the Skeletal System

The skeletal system is the central framework of the body, consisting of different connective tissues: bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.
Components of the Skeletal System
Bone, or osseous tissue, is a hard connective tissue that forms an internal support structure for the human body. Bones shield vulnerable organs and soft tissue from external forces. For example, the vertebral bones protect and support the spinal cord.
Cartilage, a semi-rigid connective tissue found in regions such as...
Muscles of the Vertebral Column01:27

Muscles of the Vertebral Column

The back muscles that lie deep into the thoracolumbar fascia are called intrinsic or true back muscles. These muscles are divided into four layers: superficial, intermediate, deep, and deepest layers.
Superficial Layer:
The superficial layer consists primarily of the splenius muscles, which include the splenius capitis and splenius cervicis. These muscles are mainly responsible for the head and cervical spine movements, including extension, rotation, and lateral bending. The splenius capitis...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

A Mouse Model of Lumbar Spine Instability
05:28

A Mouse Model of Lumbar Spine Instability

Published on: April 23, 2021

Structure-function relationship of human spinal ligaments.

H Yahia1, G Drouin, N Newman

  • 1Biomedical Engineering Institute, Ecole Polytechnique/Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.

Zeitschrift Fur Mikroskopisch-Anatomische Forschung
|January 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Human spinal ligaments, primarily elastic ligamenta flava and collagenous supraspinous/interspinous ligaments, possess unique structures. These findings suggest their role in spinal mechanics and control.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Orthopedics
  • Histology

Background:

  • Spinal ligaments are crucial for maintaining spinal stability and function.
  • Understanding their ultrastructure is key to comprehending biomechanical roles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the morphology and ultrastructure of human spinal ligaments.
  • To elucidate the relationship between ligament composition and spinal function.

Main Methods:

  • Combined light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy.
  • Analysis of normal human spinal ligaments from adult surgical specimens.

Main Results:

  • Ligamenta flava are rich in elastic fibers; supraspinous and interspinous ligaments are predominantly collagenous.
  • Collagen fascicles exhibit regular crimp structure; proteoglycan filaments are present on collagen fibrils.
  • Specific fiber orientations noted in interspinous ligaments suggest tension transmission capabilities.

Conclusions:

  • Spinal ligaments exhibit distinct ultrastructural characteristics related to their function.
  • Interspinous ligaments may transmit tension from the thoracolumbar fascia.
  • Spinal ligaments are implicated in the spine's control mechanisms.