Human Cervical Spinal Column Model

Quick Answer: The Human Cervical Spinal Column Model is a cervical spine model of the seven neck vertebrae, C1 to C7, used to teach how the neck supports and moves the head, where the vertebral arteries and spinal nerves run, and why neck injuries are serious.

Seven Vertebrae With Special Jobs

The cervical vertebrae are the smallest in the spinal column, yet they carry and move the head. The first, the atlas, is a ring without a body that cradles the skull; nodding happens at the joint between them. The second, the axis, has an upward peg called the dens that the atlas pivots around, providing about half of the neck’s rotation. C3 to C6 are typical vertebrae with short, often forked spinous processes, and C7, the vertebra prominens, has the long spine felt at the base of the neck.

Every cervical vertebra has a small hole in each transverse process, the transverse foramen. In the upper six, the vertebral arteries pass up through these holes on their way to the brain. Eight pairs of cervical spinal nerves leave between the vertebrae; the roots from C5 to T1 form the brachial plexus supplying the arm, and those from C3 to C5 supply the diaphragm. Many cervical column models show the arteries along with the spinal cord and nerve roots, but the title of this listing does not name the structures included, so confirm them.

The neck’s normal forward curve, the cervical lordosis, and its wide range of movement make it vulnerable in whiplash and diving injuries, and the model helps explain why the level of a spinal cord injury matters so much. For the lower back, see the lumbar spinal column model, and the human skull model shows the base of the skull that rests on the atlas.

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Support the cervical spine model at both ends when moving it; a short column can snap at the thin connections between vertebrae.
• Avoid twisting the atlas and axis beyond their natural range if the vertebrae are flexibly mounted.
• Clean between the transverse processes with a soft brush rather than a cloth, which catches on small projections.

Applications

• Anatomy teaching of the atlas, axis and typical cervical vertebrae
• Explaining head nodding and rotation at the upper cervical joints
• Physiotherapy and nursing lessons on neck posture, whiplash and cervical collars
• Relating cervical nerve roots to the arm and the diaphragm

Why Choose LabEquip

Physiotherapy, chiropractic and nursing courses use a cervical column when teaching neck problems that students will meet daily in practice. LabEquip keeps the model within its biology lab products; ask about the structures included through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is special about the atlas and axis?

The atlas has no body and forms a ring that carries the skull, allowing the nodding movement. The axis has the dens, a peg the atlas rotates around, and together they allow much of the head’s side-to-side turning.

Why do cervical vertebrae have holes in their transverse processes?

These transverse foramina protect the vertebral arteries, which run up through C6 to C1 to supply the back of the brain. The foramina of C7 usually carry only small veins.

Why are there eight cervical nerves but seven vertebrae?

The first cervical nerve leaves above C1, between the skull and the atlas, and each following nerve leaves above its matching vertebra, so the eighth leaves between C7 and T1.

What is whiplash?

It is a neck injury caused by sudden acceleration and deceleration, often in a rear-end collision, which strains muscles, ligaments and joints. The model helps show the bending movements involved.

Which vertebra can be felt at the base of the neck?

Usually C7, the vertebra prominens, whose long spinous process stands out when the head is bent forward. It is a common landmark for counting vertebrae.

Why does the level of a neck injury matter?

Nerves from C3 to C5 supply the diaphragm, and those from C5 to T1 supply the arms. The higher a spinal cord injury in the neck, the more of breathing and limb function it can affect.

Last Updated: September 2026