| Articular process | |
|---|---|
 Acervical vertebra. (Superior and inferior processes labeled at right.) | |
 Athoracic vertebra. (Superior labeled at top; inferior labeled at bottom.) | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | processus articularis inferior vertebrae, processus articularis superior vertebrae |
| FMA | 11952 |
| Anatomical terms of bone | |
Thearticular process orzygapophysis (Greek:ζυγόν,romanized: zugón,lit. 'yoke' +apophysis) of avertebra is a projection of the vertebra that serves the purpose of fitting with an adjacent vertebra. The actual region of contact is called thearticular facet.[1]
Articular processes spring from the junctions of thepedicles andlaminæ, and there are two right and left, and two superior and inferior. These stick out of an end of avertebra to lock with a zygapophysis on the next vertebra, to make thebackbone more stable.
The articular surfaces are coated withhyaline cartilage.
In the cervical vertebral column, the articular processes collectively form thearticular pillars. These are the bony surfaces palpated just lateral to the spinous processes.
This article incorporates text in thepublic domain frompage 97 of the 20th edition ofGray's Anatomy(1918)
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