Skeleton AtlasAxis 102513

8/11/2019 Skeleton AtlasAxis 102513

1/17

You have 24 vertebrae

in your spinal column.

Two are special enough

to be individually named.

Your atlas(C01) and axis(C02)are very important vertebrae. Withoutthem, head and neck movementwould be impossible.

Lets take a look!
http://www.visiblebody.com/


2/17

The atlasand axisare the most superior

bones in the cervical vertebrae.

Together, the atlas and axissupport the skull, facilitate

head and neck movement, andprotect the spinal cord.

The atlas is the top-most

vertebra, sitting just below theskull. The axis is below it.

(Think of the atlas and axis as best buds for life.You will never find one without the other.)

www.visiblebody.com
http://www.visiblebody.com/http://www.visiblebody.com/http://twitter.com/visiblebodyhttp://visiblebody.tumblr.com/http://www.facebook.com/visiblebodyhttp://www.visiblebody.com/


3/17

There are many types of vertebral

joints, but the atlas and axis form

the only craniovertebral joints in thehuman body.

A craniovertebral joint is a joint

that permits movement between

the cervical vertebrae and the

neurocranium.


4/17

The atlanto-axial joint

connects the axis to the

atlas. It permits rotational

movement of the head.

The atlanto-occipital joint

(pictured) connects the atlas

to the occipital bone. It flexesthe neck, allowing you to

nod your head.

www.visiblebody.com
http://www.visiblebody.com/http://www.visiblebody.com/http://twitter.com/visiblebodyhttp://visiblebody.tumblr.com/http://www.facebook.com/visiblebody


5/17

The atlanto-axial joint is a compound synovial joint.

This pivot jointallows for rotation of the head and neck.

A pivot joint is made by the end of one articulating bone rotating in aring formed by another bone and its ligaments.

www.visiblebody.com

Watch this

joint in action!
http://www.visiblebody.com/http://tinyurl.com/l3ngrxahttp://tinyurl.com/l3ngrxahttp://tinyurl.com/l3ngrxahttp://www.visiblebody.com/http://twitter.com/visiblebodyhttp://visiblebody.tumblr.com/http://www.facebook.com/visiblebodyhttp://www.visiblebody.com/


6/17

The atlas and axis are part of

the sevencervical vertebrae.

These vertebrae have a fewunique features:

They are the smallest ofthe vertebrae.

C01C06 have threeforamina: one vertebraland two transverse.

The protrusion that can befelt at the back of the neckis the nonbifid spinousprocessof C07.


7/17

The atlas and axis, like the rest of the vertebrae,

protect the spinal cordand give passage to its

dorsal and ventral roots.

www.visiblebody.com


8/17

All right.

Lets take a break and review.

The atlas and axis are the most

superior vertebrae.

They form a pivot joint, which allowsyou to turn your head and neck.

The atlanto-axial joint connects the

atlas to the axis.

They are part of the vertebral column,

which supports the peripheral nervoussystem.


9/17

Now lets review some

bony landmarks.


10/17

The atlas (C01)is the first of the cervical vertebrae.

Unlike the other vertebrae, theatlas does not have a body ora spinous process.

It is ringlike and consists of an

anterior and posterior arch, andtwo lateral masses.

Posterior archLateral mass

Anterior arch

Lateral mass


11/17

The transverse processesof the atlas serve for

attachment of muscles that assist in rotating the head.

The holes in the processes,or foramina, give passage

to the vertebral artery andvertebral vein.

The obliquus capitis superior,obliquus capitis inferior, andsplenius muscles attach to

the processes.

www.visiblebody.com


12/17

The inferior articular processesare flat and circular in shape, andpermit the rotatory movements of

the head.

www.visiblebody.com

The inferior articular processesserve as the

site for articulation with the axis.


13/17

The facet for the densis the site where the dens

of the axis articulates with the atlas.

The articulation of the atlas on the dens provides the head withapproximately 50% of its movement.


14/17

The axis (C02)is the second cervical vertebra.

It is somewhat analogous to the

other cervical vertebrae in thatit has a spinous processthat is not obviously bifidlike the rest of the cervical

vertebrae.

Factoid:The axis is also known as the

epistropheus.

www.visiblebody.com


15/17

The spinous process serves as

the attachment site for many

muscles of the spine, as well as

the nuchal ligament.

The process is not as obviously

bifidas the other cervicalvertebrae. Muscles closer tothe skull attach here, whereasmuscles that stretch along the

length of the spine attach to theprocesses of the others.

www.visiblebody.com


16/17

The odontoid process, or dens, is a projection of

bone that is fused with the atlas.

The dens rises perpendicular

from the upper surface of theaxis body.

It articulates with the ring formedby the anterior arch and thetransverse ligament of the atlas,creating the pivot joint.

Factoid:Dens is Latin for tooth; odontoid comes from the Greek root odon, also tooth.

www.visiblebody.com


17/17

Skeleton Premium

All the images and most of the text in thiseBook came from our Skeleton Premium

appan encyclopedic anatomical reference forskeletal anatomy.

Available for iPad/iPhone, PC, and Mac.

800+ bony landmarks detailed on 3D

bone models that can be rotated, zoomed,

customized, and saved to a personal library

3D models of bone tissue, moving 3D

models of synovial joints, and animations

and illustrations that review pathologies andregional anatomy

A quiz bank with 500+ questions, bone

pronunciations, and more

Content in the app includes:
http://www.visiblebody.com/skeletal_overview/http://www.visiblebody.com/skeletal_download_overview/http://www.visiblebody.com/skeletal_download_overview/http://www.visiblebody.com/http://www.visiblebody.com/skeletal_download_overview/http://www.visiblebody.com/skeletal_download_overview/http://www.visiblebody.com/skeletal_overview/

Documents

Skeleton AtlasAxis 102513