Abstract
The atlas usually forms from three primary ossification centers and no secondary ossification centers. The posterior arch arises from the lateral dense zone of the first cervical sclerotome. In contrast, the anterior arch is formed from the hypochordal bow of the first cervical sclerotome. Interestingly, this is the only area of the spine where the hypochordal bow or cells similar to it are involved in formation of the vertebral column.
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Tubbs, R.S. (2020). Development of the Atlas and Its Variations. In: Tubbs, R., Turgut, M., Oakes, W. (eds) The Chiari Malformations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44862-2_8
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