Regional Characteristics of Vertebrae

• Supports the skull ; thus its name. According to Greek mythology, Atlas supported Earth on his shoulders.
• Is the widest of the cervical vertebrae.
• Has no body and no spine but consists of anterior and posterior arches and paired transverse processes.
• Articulates superiorly with the occipital condyles of the skull to form the atlanto-occipital joints and inferiorly with the axis to form the atlantoaxial joints.

• Has the smallest transverse process.
• Is characterised by the dens (odontoid process) , which projects superiorly from the body of the axis and articulates with the anterior arch of the atlas , thus forming the pivot around which the atlas rotates. It is supported by the cruciform, apical, and alar ligaments and the tectorial membrane.

• Are typical cervical vertebrae and have short spinous processes and transverse processes with anterior and posterior tubercles and transverse foramina for the vertebral vessels.

• Is called the vertebra prominens because it has a long spinous process that is nearly horizontal, ends in a single tubercle (not bifid), and forms a visible protrusion.
• Provides an attachment site for the ligamentum nuchae, supraspinous ligaments, and numerous back muscles.

• Have costal facets; the superior costal facet on the body articulates with the head of the corresponding rib, whereas the inferior facet articulates with the subjacent rib (just below).
• Have a transverse process that articulates with the tubercle of the corresponding rib.
• Have the typical thoracic vertebrae , which are the second to the eighth thoracic vertebrae.

• Are distinguished by their large bodies, sturdy laminae, and absence of costal facets. The fifth lumbar vertebra has the largest body of the vertebrae.
• Are characterized by a strong, massive transverse process and have mamillary and accessory processes.

• Is a large, triangular, wedge-shaped bone composed of five fused sacral vertebrae .
• Has four pairs of foramina for the exit of the ventral and dorsal primary rami of the first four sacral nerves.
• Forms the posterior part of the pelvis and provides strength and stability to the pelvis .
• Is characterised by the following structures:
• Promontory: the prominent anterior edge of the first sacral vertebra (S1).
• Ala: the superior and lateral part of the sacrum, which is formed by the fused transverse processes and fused costal processes of the first sacral vertebra.
• Median sacral crest: formed by the fused spinous processes.
• Sacral hiatus: formed by the failure of the laminae of vertebra S5 to fuse. It is used for the administration of caudal (extradural) anesthesia .
• Sacral cornu or horn: formed by the pedicles of the fifth sacral vertebra. It is an important landmark for locating the sacral hiatus.
  

• Is a wedge-shaped bone formed by the union of the four coccygeal vertebrae.
• Provides attachment for the coccygeus and levator ani muscles.