Vertebral column

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The vertebral column as seen from the side
The vertebral column as seen from the side

Vertebral column is the scientific, anatomical word for the spine or backbone. It is a column of vertebrae in the back part of the torso (upper body). There is a canal that runs through the length of the backbone. Inside this canal is the spinal cord.

[edit] Regions

The vertebral column is divided by doctors into 5 sections called regions. These 5 regions from top to bottom are:

  • Cervical - Shown in red, this region supports the head. It is made up of 7 vertebrae.
  • Thoracic - Shown in blue, this region supports the ribs. It is made up of 12 vertebrae.
  • Lumbar - Shown in yellow, this region is located in the lower back. It is made up of 5 vertebrae.
  • Sacral - Shown in green. It is made up of 5 fused together vertebrae.
  • Coccygeal - Shown in purple. It is made up of 3 to 5 vertebrae.

[edit] References

  • Gray's Anatomy: The Vertebral Column - The 1917 Gray's Anatomy is available via the Bartleby project. It is available with full colour diagrams, and provides an excellent starting point in anatomy, as well as a relatively complete source for gross anatomy. The initial version of this article was copied and pasted from the 1917 Gray's anatomy, which is in the public domain.

[edit] External links