CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SPINAL CORD SEGMENTS AND VERTEBRAE IN GOAT FOETUSE

Abstract

Correspondence between spinal cord segments and vertebrae in foetal goats was studied using 52 foetuses ranging from 9.4 cm CRL (24 days of gestation) to 49.5 cm (full term). In the present study, upfo the latter half of second month of gestation, the spinal cord extended the entire length of vertebral canal. Towards the end of the second month, the cranial ascend was initiated. In the third and fourth month, the lumbar region reached only upfo the middle of L6 vertebra. During the fifth monfh, lumbar region reached upfo fhe caudal end of L5~ vertebra. A corresponding cranial ascend was noticed in the sacral and coccygeal regions. The spinal cord termination was at fourth coccygeal vertebra upfo 54 days of gestation. Towards the end, it was at third coccygeal vertebra. By third month, the level was between first and second coccygeal vertebrae. By fourth month, it varied from firsf coccygeal to fourth sacral vertebrae. During fifth month, the level of termination varied from rostral end of S4 through middle of S3 to caudal end of S2. This rostral ascend was due to the faster rate of the growth of the vertebral column fhan the spinal cord during prenatal period

Keywords

• correspondence
• foetus
• goat
• prenatal
• spinal cord
• vertebra