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Related Concept Videos

Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature01:16

Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature

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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...
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General Structure of a Vertebra01:30

General Structure of a Vertebra

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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...
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Articulations of the Vertebral Column01:28

Articulations of the Vertebral Column

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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...
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Spinal Cord: Gross Anatomy01:15

Spinal Cord: Gross Anatomy

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The spinal cord resides within the protective confines of the vertebral column. It is the main pathway for information traveling between the brain and the body. It plays a fundamental role in nearly all bodily functions, from simple reflexes to complex motor movements. The spinal cord begins at the medulla oblongata at the base of the brainstem and extends downward, terminating at the conus medullaris near the first and second lumbar vertebrae. The spinal cord's length in adults is...
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Muscles of the Vertebral Column01:27

Muscles of the Vertebral Column

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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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Overview of the Axial Skeleton01:09

Overview of the Axial Skeleton

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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...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 30, 2026

Three and Four-Dimensional Visualization and Analysis Approaches to Study Vertebrate Axial Elongation and Segmentation
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Early development of the vertebral column.

Martin Scaal1

  • 1Institute of Anatomy II, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 9, 50931 Cologne, Germany.

Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
|November 14, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Vertebral column development in amniotes begins with somite segmentation. This review covers early embryogenesis, from sclerotome formation to the spine's basic structure and axial identity.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental biology
  • Embryology
  • Anatomy

Background:

  • The vertebral column, a series of bones, joints, and ligaments, exemplifies vertebrate segmental organization.
  • Vertebral column development originates from embryonic somites, the primary segments of paraxial mesoderm.
  • Understanding vertebral column development is crucial in developmental biology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the early developmental stages of the vertebral column in amniotes.
  • To summarize current knowledge on sclerotome formation and subsequent spine patterning.
  • To outline the establishment of the vertebral column's anatomical blueprint (bauplan).

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on vertebrate embryogenesis.
  • Analysis of anatomical, cellular, and molecular data related to vertebral column development.
Keywords:
Intervertebral diskSclerotomeSegmentSomiteVertebra

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  • Focus on early developmental steps in amniotes.

    • Main Results:

    • The vertebral column develops from somites during embryogenesis.
    • Key structures include vertebral bodies, arches, intervertebral discs, and ribs.
    • Specific axial identities are established along the body axis.

    Conclusions:

    • Early steps in vertebral column development are well-characterized in amniotes.
    • The process involves sclerotome formation and the establishment of the spine's fundamental structure.
    • Understanding these early events is key to comprehending axial skeletal development.