The costovertebral joints are the joints that connect the ribs to the
vertebral column
The vertebral column, also known as the backbone or spine, is part of the axial skeleton. The vertebral column is the defining characteristic of a vertebrate in which the notochord (a flexible rod of uniform composition) found in all chordata, ...
. The
articulation of the head of the rib connects the
head of the rib to the
bodies
Bodies may refer to:
* The plural of body
* ''Bodies'' (2004 TV series), BBC television programme
* Bodies (upcoming TV series), an upcoming British crime thriller limited series
* "Bodies" (''Law & Order''), 2003 episode of ''Law & Order''
* ...
of the
thoracic vertebra
In vertebrates, thoracic vertebrae compose the middle segment of the vertebral column, between the cervical vertebrae and the lumbar vertebrae. In humans, there are twelve thoracic vertebrae and they are intermediate in size between the cervical ...
e.
Structure
The
costotransverse joint
The costotransverse joint is the joint formed between the facet of the tubercle of the rib and the adjacent transverse process of a thoracic vertebra.
The costotransverse joint is a plane type of synovial joint which, under physiological conditio ...
connects the
tubercle of the rib with the transverse process of the
thoracic vertebrae
In vertebrates, thoracic vertebrae compose the middle segment of the vertebral column, between the cervical vertebrae and the lumbar vertebrae. In humans, there are twelve thoracic vertebra (anatomy), vertebrae and they are intermediate in size b ...
.
It is a
synovial joint
A synovial joint, also known as diarthrosis, joins bones or cartilage with a fibrous joint capsule that is continuous with the periosteum of the joined bones, constitutes the outer boundary of a synovial cavity, and surrounds the bones' articulat ...
.
Two convex facets from the head attach to two adjacent vertebrae, at the
inferior costal facet
The inferior costal facet (or inferior costal fovea) is a site where a rib forms a joint with the inferior aspect of the body of a thoracic vertebra.
In the adjacent picture, the arrow points to an inferior costal facet. The facets are named for ...
of the superior vertebra, and the
superior costal facet
The superior costal facet (or superior costal fovea) is a site where a rib forms a joint with the top of a vertebra.
Ribs connect to the thoracic vertebrae at two main points, the inferior and superior costal facets. These connection points are l ...
of the inferior vertebra respectively. This forms the
synovial planar (gliding) joint, the articulation of the head of rib, which is strengthened by the
ligament
A ligament is the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones. It is also known as ''articular ligament'', ''articular larua'', ''fibrous ligament'', or ''true ligament''. Other ligaments in the body include the:
* Peritoneal li ...
of the head and the intercapital ligament. Articulation of the tubercle is to the
transverse process
The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristic i ...
of the inferior vertebra. This articulation is reinforced by the dorsal
costotransverse ligament
A costotransverse ligament is a short fibrous band that connects a rib with the transverse process of vertebra
The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates, Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their ...
.
The intra-articular ligament of head of rib (interarticular in older texts; ''ligamentum capitis costae intraarticulare'') is situated in the interior of the articulation of head of rib between the superior costal facet and the inferior costal facet. It consists of a short
ligament
A ligament is the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones. It is also known as ''articular ligament'', ''articular larua'', ''fibrous ligament'', or ''true ligament''. Other ligaments in the body include the:
* Peritoneal li ...
, a band of fibers, flattened from top to bottom, attached at one end to the crest separating the two
costal facets
A costal facet is a site of connection between a rib and a vertebra. The costal facets are located on the vertebrae that the rib articulates with. They are the superior costal facet, the inferior costal facet, and the transverse costal facet. Ri ...
on the head of the rib, and at the other end to the
intervertebral disc
An intervertebral disc (or intervertebral fibrocartilage) lies between adjacent vertebrae in the vertebral column. Each disc forms a fibrocartilaginous joint (a symphysis), to allow slight movement of the vertebrae, to act as a ligament to hold t ...
between the two vertebrae; it divides the joint into two cavities. This ligament is the
homologue of the ''conjugate ligament'' present in some
mammals
Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
, and uniting the heads of opposite ribs, across the back of the intervertebral fibrocartilage.
In the joints of the
first
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
,
tenth,
eleventh
In music or music theory, an eleventh is the note eleven scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the eleventh. The interval can be also described as a compound fourth, spanning an octave plus a f ...
, and
twelfth rib
The rib cage, as an enclosure that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum in the thorax of most vertebrates, protects vital organs such as the heart, lungs and great vessels.
The sternum, together known as the thoracic cage, is a semi- ...
s, the intra-articular ligament does not exist; consequently, there is only one cavity in each of these articulations.
Function
The costovertebral joints stabilise the ribs by connection to the vertebral column.
Other animals
The costovertebral joints are very similar in other
mammals
Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
, including
cats
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of t ...
.
References
External links
Diagram at ithaca.edu via web.archive.org
Joints
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