![]() ![]() There is also the mammillary process on the posterior aspect of the superior articular process. This is one feature that differentiates lumbar vertebrae from thoracic. The facets also have the unique feature of a curved articular surface. The articular facets are markedly vertical, with the superior facets directed posteromedially and medially. The spinous process is short and thick, relative to the size of the vertebra, and projects perpendicularly from the body. The most notable distinction is the presence of a large vertebral body. Typical lumbar vertebrae have several features distinct from those typical of cervical or thoracic vertebrae. Lastly, the two transverse processes project laterally from the vertebral arch in a symmetric fashion. The spinous process projects posteriorly and inferiorly from the vertebral arch and overlaps the inferior vertebrae to various degrees, depending on the region of the spine. These maintain vertebral alignment, control the range of motion, and are weight-bearing in certain positions. The point at which superior and articular facets meet is known as a facet, or zygapophyseal, joint. A typical vertebra also contains four articular processes, two superior and two inferior, which contact the inferior and superior articular processes of the two adjacent vertebrae, one superior and one inferior. The arch consists of bilateral pedicles, pieces of bone that connect the arch to the body, and bilateral lamina, bone segments that form most of the arch, connecting the transverse and spinous processes. The arch, along with the posterior aspect of the body, forms the vertebral (spinal) canal, which houses the spinal cord. The vertebral body consists of trabecular bone, which contains the red marrow, surrounded by a thin external layer of compact bone. Vertebral bodies increase in size as the column descends. The vertebral body bears the majority of the force placed on the vertebrae. Typical vertebrae consist of a vertebral body, a vertebral arch, and seven processes. The lumbar vertebrae, as a group, produce a lordotic curve. The intervertebral discs, along with the laminae, pedicles, and articular processes of adjacent vertebrae, create a space through which spinal nerves exit. The lumbar region contains five vertebrae, denoted L1-L5. The intervertebral discs are responsible for this mobility without sacrificing the supportive strength of the vertebral column. The spine has several significant roles in the body, including protection of the spinal cord and branching spinal nerves, support for the thorax and abdomen, and enabling flexibility and mobility. The vertebral column extends from the skull to the coccyx and includes the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral regions. Vertebrae, along with intervertebral discs, compose the vertebral column or spine. ![]()
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