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Related Concept Videos

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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Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints01:17

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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...
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Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature01:16

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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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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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Spinal Cord01:26

Spinal Cord

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The spinal cord, a critical component of the central nervous system, extends from the base of the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. It is essential for maintaining physical stability and facilitating communication between the brain and peripheral parts of the body.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration
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Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration

Published on: July 8, 2021

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Structure-function relationships at the human spinal disc-vertebra interface.

Britta Berg-Johansen1, Aaron J Fields1, Ellen C Liebenberg1

  • 1University of California, 513 Parnassus Avenue, S-1157, San Francisco, California, 94143-0514.

Journal of Orthopaedic Research : Official Publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society
|June 8, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The disc-vertebra interface, crucial for spinal health, shows weakness due to poor integration between cartilage endplate and bone. This structural vulnerability increases injury risk and back pain, impacting herniation injuries.

Keywords:
avulsioncartilage endplate junctioncollagendisc herniationintervertebral disc

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Precision Measurements and Parametric Models of Vertebral Endplates
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Area of Science:

  • Orthopaedic Research
  • Biomechanics
  • Spinal Anatomy

Background:

  • The intervertebral disc-vertebra interface is implicated in back pain and disc herniation.
  • Its structural and biomechanical properties are not fully understood.
  • Understanding this interface is key to addressing spinal pathologies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure mechanical properties and failure mechanisms at the disc-vertebra interface.
  • To quantify architectural features of this region.
  • To establish structure-function relationships at the vulnerable disc-vertebra junction.

Main Methods:

  • Human cadaver thoracic spine specimens (vertebra-disc-vertebra) were used.
  • Micro-computed tomography (μCT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed for structural analysis.
  • Uniaxial tension testing with digital image correlation (DIC) assessed mechanical properties and failure modes.

Main Results:

  • 71% of specimens failed at the cartilage endplate-bone interface.
  • Histology and SEM revealed poor structural integration between the cartilage endplate (CEP) and vertebral bone.
  • Failure strength correlated positively with vertebral trabecular bone volume fraction and negatively with degeneration and CEP thickness.

Conclusions:

  • Inadequate structural connectivity between the CEP and vertebra contributes to interface weakness.
  • These findings offer insights into injury risk factors for the disc-vertebra interface.
  • Understanding these structure-function relationships may aid in developing better diagnostics and treatments for low back pain.