How are cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral vertebrae adapted/ suited to their function?
Answer:
a) Cervical vertebrae.
-Have vertebraterial canals; which provide a passage for the vertebral artery and nerves;
-Have branched and broad transverse processes; to increase the surface area for attachment of muscles;
-Have centrum and neural arch; for protection of spinal cord;
-Have short/reduced neural spine; for the attachment of the neck muscles;
-Have wide/large neural canal; for the passage of the spinal cord;
-Have post- zygapophyses and pre-zygapophyses; to articulate with adjacent vertebrae;
-Have large and thick centrum; to provide support to the adjacent vertebrae;
b)Thoracic vertebrae.
-Have long neural spine; to offer large or increase the surface are for attachment of the thoracic/back muscles;
-Have short/ reduced transverse processes; for attachment of muscles;
-Have neural canal; for passage of spinal cord;
-The transverse processes have articular facets called tubercular facets; to articulate with the tuberculum of the rib;
-The centrum has articular facets called capitular facets; to articulate with the capitulum of the rib;
-It has large/ thick centrum; to support the other vertebra/body weight;
-It has anterior facets (pre-zygapophyses) and posterior facets (post-zygapophyses); to articulate with the adjacent thoracic vertebrae;
-They have centrum and neural arch; to protect spinal cord;
c)Lumbar vertebrae.
-Have broad neural spine; to provide a large surface area for attachment of powerful back and abdominal muscles;
-Have long transverse processes; to increase the surface area for attachment of powerful back muscles;
-Have neural canal; for passage of spinal cord;
-They have centrum and neural arch; to protect spinal cord;
-Have large and broad centrum; to support the weight of the adjacent vertebra;
-Have metapophyses, anapophyses, and hypapophysis; to offer large surface area for attachment of abdominal muscles;
-Have curved post- zygapophyses and pre-zygapophyses; for articulation with adjacent vertebrae and for muscle attachment;
d) Sacral vertebrae
-Are fused to form sacrum which is strong and firm; to bear the weight of body and spread it to the legs through pelvic girdle;
-The first 2 sacral vertebrae (anterior vertebrae) are large with wing-like transverse processes; which are fused to the pelvic girdle to provide a surface area for attachment of the pelvic and back muscles;
-The sacrum has a large base or short neural spine; for attachment of back muscles;
-Sacrum has large and broad centrum; to provide support;
-Sacrum has openings called intervertebral foramen; which allow the passage of the spinal nerves;
-Sacrum has pre-zygapophyses; that articulate with the lumbar vertebra;
-Sacrum has narrow neural canal; for passage of spinal cord;