The brains of humans and other vertebrates are composed of very soft tissue and have a gelatin-like texture. Living brain tissue has a pink tint in color on the outside (gray matter), and nearly complete white on the inside (white matter), with subtle variations in...

The lumbar spine contains a total of 5 intervertebral discs situated between the vertebral bodies. The primary functions of these discs are to1: Distribute compressive loads placed on the spine, providing shock absorption properties. Maintain the distance between the...

A cervical disc is a shock-absorbing, soft pad that lies between vertebrae in the cervical spine (the neck). The cervical spine is comprised of six total cervical discs. With the natural wear and tear that accompanies aging, a cervical disc may begin to degenerate,...

The pituitary gland (PG) is said to be a "master" endocrine gland and through its tropic hormones influences other endocrine glands to secrete hormones that have a variety of effects on body systems.The anatomist Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring coined the name...