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Rich,
The cervical discs are different in their form compared to other regions.
The two main regions of the discs, the inner nucleus pulposus and the outer
annulus fibrosus are mixed and not as separate as other levels. Also the
cervical discs are what is known as bipartite (split) so that the top and
bottom of the wedge shaped disc slide past each other. This supposedly is
more evident with age but is debatable whether it is pathological or
normal. Finally, the typical cervical vertebrae (C3-C7) have synovial
joints on each superior side of the vertebral body called uncovertebral
joints. These are formed by the uncinate processes of the sides of the
superior vertebral bodies and the edge of the disc which doesnt extend as
far laterally as other regions. The Physiology of the Joints (Kapandji) has
a good illustration of this. Probably an adaptation to the increased
movements necessary in the cervical region.
Hope this helps.
James out!
Rich Hengst wrote:
> As a physiologist needing to learn biomechanics ...
>
> Does anyone know of studies relating the shape of adjacent vertebral
> centra to flexibility of the discs separating them? In some animals, a
> central faces are flat, whereas in others, they might be concave, etc.
> The differences in disc shape would differ, but does the flexibility of
> the joint vary?
>
> Also, do the mechanical properties of intervertebral disc cartilage
> vary along the vertebral column (again in tetrapod animals)? Would one
> expect cervical cartilage properties to differ from thoracic, lumbar, or
> caudal?
>
> All help is appreciated,
>
> Rich Hengst
> Biological Sciences
> Purdue North Central
> Westville, IN
>
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> To unsubscribe send SIGNOFF BIOMCH-L to LISTSERV@nic.surfnet.nl
> For information and archives: http://isb.ri.ccf.org/biomch-l
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--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr James Wickham Phone +61 3 94795725
Lecturer Fax +61 3 94795784
Dept of Anatomy & Physiology mailto:j.wickham@latrobe.edu.au
School of Human Biosciences
La Trobe University
VIC 3086
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
---------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe send SIGNOFF BIOMCH-L to LISTSERV@nic.surfnet.nl
For information and archives: http://isb.ri.ccf.org/biomch-l
---------------------------------------------------------------
The cervical discs are different in their form compared to other regions.
The two main regions of the discs, the inner nucleus pulposus and the outer
annulus fibrosus are mixed and not as separate as other levels. Also the
cervical discs are what is known as bipartite (split) so that the top and
bottom of the wedge shaped disc slide past each other. This supposedly is
more evident with age but is debatable whether it is pathological or
normal. Finally, the typical cervical vertebrae (C3-C7) have synovial
joints on each superior side of the vertebral body called uncovertebral
joints. These are formed by the uncinate processes of the sides of the
superior vertebral bodies and the edge of the disc which doesnt extend as
far laterally as other regions. The Physiology of the Joints (Kapandji) has
a good illustration of this. Probably an adaptation to the increased
movements necessary in the cervical region.
Hope this helps.
James out!
Rich Hengst wrote:
> As a physiologist needing to learn biomechanics ...
>
> Does anyone know of studies relating the shape of adjacent vertebral
> centra to flexibility of the discs separating them? In some animals, a
> central faces are flat, whereas in others, they might be concave, etc.
> The differences in disc shape would differ, but does the flexibility of
> the joint vary?
>
> Also, do the mechanical properties of intervertebral disc cartilage
> vary along the vertebral column (again in tetrapod animals)? Would one
> expect cervical cartilage properties to differ from thoracic, lumbar, or
> caudal?
>
> All help is appreciated,
>
> Rich Hengst
> Biological Sciences
> Purdue North Central
> Westville, IN
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> To unsubscribe send SIGNOFF BIOMCH-L to LISTSERV@nic.surfnet.nl
> For information and archives: http://isb.ri.ccf.org/biomch-l
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr James Wickham Phone +61 3 94795725
Lecturer Fax +61 3 94795784
Dept of Anatomy & Physiology mailto:j.wickham@latrobe.edu.au
School of Human Biosciences
La Trobe University
VIC 3086
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
---------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe send SIGNOFF BIOMCH-L to LISTSERV@nic.surfnet.nl
For information and archives: http://isb.ri.ccf.org/biomch-l
---------------------------------------------------------------