Translations:Aufbau Wirbel/2/en

The basic structure of a vertebral body consists of a vertebral body (corpus vertebrae), a vertebral arch (arcus vertebrae), a vertebral hole, a spinous process (proc. spinosus), two transverse processes (procc. transversi) and four articular processes (procc. articulares). The main load is borne by the ventrally located vertebral body. The vertebral foramen (foramen vertebrale) is enclosed by the vertebral bodies and vertebral arches. All vertebral holes together form the vertebral canal (Canalis vertebralis). The spinal cord is located in the vertebral canal. Since the vertebral bodies of the lower section of the spine carry most of the load, they are also larger. The individual vertebral bodies are intertwined by the spinal discs (only exception: axis and atlas). The appendixes act as the base for the muscles and ligaments; in the region of the thoracic vertebral bodies they form the rib-vertebral joints.