Regardless of which division they belong to, all typical vertebrae share a common structure and each vertebra certainly contains the following structures:

• Vertebral body (corpus vertebrae)

  

• Vertebral arch (arcus vertebrae)

Between the body and the arch lies the vertebral foramen (foramen vertebrale).

All the vertebral foramina together form the vertebral canal (canalis vertebralis), which contains the spinal cord.

The vertebral arch can be distinguished by the lamina of the vertebral arch (lamina arcus vertebrae) and the pedicle of the vertebral arch (pediculus arcus vertebrae).

There is one lamina and one pedicle on each side (left and right).

On the vertebral arch are the processes to which the fasciae and muscles attach:

• The unpaired spinous process (processus spinosus), which extends backward

  

• The paired transverse process (processus transversus). These processes extend backward and slightly to the side

  

• The paired superior articular process (processus articularis superior). Each of them has a superior articular surface (facies articularis superior) for articulation with the upper vertebra

  

• The paired inferior articular process (processus articularis inferior). Each has a inferior articular surface (facies articularis inferior) for articulation with the underlying vertebra

  

  From the side, two notches are distinguished on the vertebra:

• The superior vertebral notch (incisura vertebralis superior)

  

• The inferior vertebral notch (incisura vertebralis inferior)

The inferior notch of the vertebra above and the superior notch of the vertebra under join together to form the intervertebral foramen (foramen intervertebrale), through which blood vessels and nerves pass.

Dictionary

Typical vertebra

corpus vertebrae

vertebral body

arcus vertebrae

vertebral arch

foramen vertebrale

vertebral foramen

canalis vertebralis

vertebral canal

lamina arcus vertebrae

lamina of vertebral arch

pediculus arcus vertebrae

pedicle of vertebral arch

processus spinosus

spinous process

processus transversus

transverse process

processus articularis superior

superior articular process

facies articularis superior

superior articular facet

processus articularis inferior

inferior articular process

facies articularis inferior

inferior articular facet

incisura vertebralis superior

superior vertebral notch

incisura vertebralis inferior

inferior vertebral notch

foramen intervertebrale

intervertebral foramen