Vertebral body
Vertebral Body
The vertebral body (pronounced: ver-te-bral bo-dy) is the anterior portion of a vertebra in the spine. It is a crucial part of the vertebral column, which is a series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the small of the back.
Etymology
The term "vertebral body" is derived from the Latin word "vertebra", which means a joint or something to turn. The term "body" is used to denote the main portion of the vertebra, as opposed to the smaller, more intricate parts.
Anatomy
The vertebral body is cylindrical in shape and is the largest part of a vertebra. It is designed to bear weight and withstand compressive forces. The top and bottom surfaces of the vertebral body are covered with a thin layer of hyaline cartilage, which helps to distribute weight evenly and reduce friction between the vertebrae.
The vertebral body is separated from the vertebral arch by the vertebral foramen, which forms the vertebral canal when the vertebrae are stacked on top of each other. This canal houses and protects the spinal cord.
Related Terms
- Vertebra: One of the series of small bones forming the backbone, having several projections for articulation and muscle attachment, and a hole through which the spinal cord passes.
- Spine: The series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the small of the back, enclosing the spinal cord and providing support for the thorax and abdomen; the backbone.
- Vertebral Column: The vertebral column is a flexible column that extends from the neck to the lower back. It is made up of a series of bones, called vertebrae.
- Hyaline Cartilage: A type of cartilage found on many joint surfaces. It is pearly bluish in color with firm consistency and has a considerable amount of collagen.
- Vertebral Foramen: The vertebral foramen is the opening formed by a neural arch through which the spinal cord passes.
- Vertebral Canal: The vertebral canal is the space within the vertebral column formed by vertebral foramina through which the spinal cord passes.
- Spinal Cord: The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, which extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Vertebral body
- Wikipedia's article - Vertebral body
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski