Articular processes

Bone: Articular processes
A cervical vertebra. (Superior and inferior processes labeled at right.)
A thoracic vertebra. (Superior labeled at top; inferior labeled at bottom.)
Latin	p. articularis inferior vertebrae, p. articularis superior vertebrae,
Gray's	subject #20 97

The articular processes or zygapophyses (Greek ζυγον = "yoke" (because it links two vertebrae) + απο = "away" + φυσις = "process") of a vertebra, two superior and two inferior, spring from the junctions of the pedicles and laminæ. These stick out of an end of a vertebra to lock with a zygapophysis on the next vertebra, to make the backbone more stable.

• The superior processes or prezygapophysis project upward from a lower vertebra, and their articular surfaces are directed more or less backward.
• The inferior processes or postzygapophysis project downward from a higher vertebra, and their articular surfaces are directed more or less forward and outward.

The articular surfaces are coated with hyaline cartilage.

In the cervical vertebral column, the articular processes collectively form the articular pillars. These are the bony surfaces palpated just later to the spinous processes, since the cervical spine lacks transverse processes.

See also

• Zygapophyseal joint
• Pars interarticularis

Additional images

• 

  Cervical vertebra

• 

  Median sagittal section of two lumbar vertebræ and their ligaments.

External links

• Bioweb at UWLAX aplab
• Atlas of anatomy at UMich back_bone28 - "Lumbar Vertebral Column, Posterolateral View"
• SUNY Figs 02:01-09 - "Superior and lateral views of typical vertebrae."
• articular+process at eMedicine Dictionary
• Photo of model at Waynesburg College skeleton2/inferiorarticularprocess
• Photo of model at Waynesburg College skeleton2/superiorarticularprocess

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.