BSC 2085L EXAM STUDY GUIDE SPRING 2026
FULL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Fetal Skull. Answer: contain fontanelles to allow the skull to
compress slightly during birth; allows for brain growth during late
fetal life
◉ Fontanelles. Answer: Areas of fibrous membranes; completely
ossify (become bone) by the time the child is 1.5-2 years old
◉ Craniosynostosis. Answer: birth defect that causes one or more of
the sutures on a baby's head to close earlier than usual; cause:
unknown, may be genetic; symptoms: abnormally shaped head, no
fontanelles, slow or no increase in head size as baby grows
◉ Vertebral column. Answer: 24 vertebrae, sacrum, coccyx
◉ 24 vertebrae. Answer: 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar
◉ Cervical vertebrae. Answer: C1-C7
◉ Cervical 1 (C1/atlas). Answer: lacks body and spinous process,
allows head to nod
,◉ Cervical 2 (C2/axis). Answer: has dens (odontoid process) for
head rotation
◉ Cervical 1-7 (C1-C7) distinguishing features. Answer: triangular
vertebral foramen, transverse processes contain foramen/foramina
for vertebral arteries traveling to brain, C7 (vertebra prominens) is a
landmark for counting vertebrae
◉ Thoracic Vertebrae (T1-T12) distinguishing features. Answer:
heart shaped body, small articulating surfaces/costal facets
(superior and inferior) articulates with head of rib, round/oval
vertebral foramen, transverse costal facets (on transverse process)
articulate with rib tubercles
◉ Lumbar Vertebrae (L1-L5) distinguishing features. Answer: block-
like body & short thick spinous process, superior articular process
pointing posteromedial, inferior articular process pointing
anterolateral, spinal cord ends at superior area of L2
◉ Spinal/lumbar 'tap' performed between.... Answer: between L3
and L4 or L4 and L5 to minimize injury to spinal cord.
Administration of anesthesia for childbirth also performs in these
regions
, ◉ Intervertebral Foramen. Answer: A foramen exists between the
inferior notch of a superior vertebra and the superior notch of an
inferior vertebra; for nerves to enter or exit the spinal cord
◉ Sacrum. Answer: Formed by fusion of 5 bones
◉ Sacrum prominent features. Answer: Sacral promontory, median
sacral crest, ala, transverse ridges, anterior/posterior sacral formina
◉ Sacral promontory of sacrum. Answer: at anterior border of S1
◉ Median sacral crest of sacrum. Answer: remnant of fused spinous
processes
◉ Ala of sacrum. Answer: formed by fusion of transverse processes
◉ Transverse ridges of sacrum. Answer: site of vertebral fusion
◉ Anterior/Posterior sacral foramina of sacrum. Answer: passage
for blood vessels and nerves
◉ Coccyx. Answer: Commonly known as the "tailbone"; It is formed
by fusion of 3-5 irregularly shaped vertebrae; Attached to sacrum by
ligaments
FULL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Fetal Skull. Answer: contain fontanelles to allow the skull to
compress slightly during birth; allows for brain growth during late
fetal life
◉ Fontanelles. Answer: Areas of fibrous membranes; completely
ossify (become bone) by the time the child is 1.5-2 years old
◉ Craniosynostosis. Answer: birth defect that causes one or more of
the sutures on a baby's head to close earlier than usual; cause:
unknown, may be genetic; symptoms: abnormally shaped head, no
fontanelles, slow or no increase in head size as baby grows
◉ Vertebral column. Answer: 24 vertebrae, sacrum, coccyx
◉ 24 vertebrae. Answer: 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar
◉ Cervical vertebrae. Answer: C1-C7
◉ Cervical 1 (C1/atlas). Answer: lacks body and spinous process,
allows head to nod
,◉ Cervical 2 (C2/axis). Answer: has dens (odontoid process) for
head rotation
◉ Cervical 1-7 (C1-C7) distinguishing features. Answer: triangular
vertebral foramen, transverse processes contain foramen/foramina
for vertebral arteries traveling to brain, C7 (vertebra prominens) is a
landmark for counting vertebrae
◉ Thoracic Vertebrae (T1-T12) distinguishing features. Answer:
heart shaped body, small articulating surfaces/costal facets
(superior and inferior) articulates with head of rib, round/oval
vertebral foramen, transverse costal facets (on transverse process)
articulate with rib tubercles
◉ Lumbar Vertebrae (L1-L5) distinguishing features. Answer: block-
like body & short thick spinous process, superior articular process
pointing posteromedial, inferior articular process pointing
anterolateral, spinal cord ends at superior area of L2
◉ Spinal/lumbar 'tap' performed between.... Answer: between L3
and L4 or L4 and L5 to minimize injury to spinal cord.
Administration of anesthesia for childbirth also performs in these
regions
, ◉ Intervertebral Foramen. Answer: A foramen exists between the
inferior notch of a superior vertebra and the superior notch of an
inferior vertebra; for nerves to enter or exit the spinal cord
◉ Sacrum. Answer: Formed by fusion of 5 bones
◉ Sacrum prominent features. Answer: Sacral promontory, median
sacral crest, ala, transverse ridges, anterior/posterior sacral formina
◉ Sacral promontory of sacrum. Answer: at anterior border of S1
◉ Median sacral crest of sacrum. Answer: remnant of fused spinous
processes
◉ Ala of sacrum. Answer: formed by fusion of transverse processes
◉ Transverse ridges of sacrum. Answer: site of vertebral fusion
◉ Anterior/Posterior sacral foramina of sacrum. Answer: passage
for blood vessels and nerves
◉ Coccyx. Answer: Commonly known as the "tailbone"; It is formed
by fusion of 3-5 irregularly shaped vertebrae; Attached to sacrum by
ligaments
