{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,17]],"date-time":"2026-04-17T10:28:08Z","timestamp":1776421688985,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":69,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,5]],"date-time":"2017-06-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1496620800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"funder":[{"name":"Netherlands Fellowship program","award":["NFP-PHD 890\/13"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NFP-PHD 890\/13"]}]},{"name":"\u2018Stichting Rijp\u2019"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Journal of Anatomy"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>The vertebral column is the paradigm of the metameric architecture of the vertebrate body. Because the number of somites is a convenient parameter to stage early human embryos, we explored whether the closure of the vertebral canal could be used similarly for staging embryos between 7 and 10\u00a0weeks of development. Human embryos (5\u201310\u00a0weeks of development) were visualized using <jats:sc>Amira<\/jats:sc> 3D<jats:sup>\u00ae<\/jats:sup> reconstruction and <jats:sc>Cinema<\/jats:sc> 4D<jats:sup>\u00ae<\/jats:sup> remodelling software. Vertebral bodies were identifiable as loose mesenchymal structures between the dense mesenchymal intervertebral discs up to 6\u00a0weeks and then differentiated into cartilaginous structures in the 7th week. In this week, the dense mesenchymal neural processes also differentiated into cartilaginous structures. Transverse processes became identifiable at 6\u00a0weeks. The growth rate of all vertebral bodies was exponential and similar between 6 and 10\u00a0weeks, whereas the intervertebral discs hardly increased in size between 6 and 8\u00a0weeks and then followed vertebral growth between 8 and 10\u00a0weeks. The neural processes extended dorsolaterally (6th week), dorsally (7th week) and finally dorsomedially (8th and 9th weeks) to fuse at the midthoracic level at 9\u00a0weeks. From there, fusion extended cranially and caudally in the 10th week. Closure of the foramen magnum required the development of the supraoccipital bone as a craniomedial extension of the exoccipitals (neural processes of occipital vertebra 4), whereas a growth burst of sacral vertebra 1 delayed closure until 15\u00a0weeks. Both the cranial\u2010 and caudal\u2010most vertebral bodies fused to form the basioccipital (occipital vertebrae 1\u20134) and sacrum (sacral vertebrae 1\u20135). In the sacrum, fusion of its so\u2010called alar processes preceded that of the bodies by at least 6\u00a0weeks. In conclusion, the highly ordered and substantial changes in shape of the vertebral bodies leading to the formation of the vertebral canal make the development of the spine an excellent, continuous staging system for the (human) embryo between 6 and 10\u00a0weeks of development.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1111\/joa.12638","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,6]],"date-time":"2017-06-06T01:46:39Z","timestamp":1496713599000},"page":"260-274","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Closure of the vertebral canal in human embryos and fetuses"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"231","author":[{"given":"Hayelom K.","family":"Mekonen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy &amp; Embryology Maastricht University Maastricht The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jill P. J. 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