The Probert Encyclopaedia of Medicine

VERTEBRAE

The vertebrae (singularly known as a vertebra) are irregularly shaped bones which stack together to form the spinal column. The vertebrae are connected together by ligaments and muscles which control the degree of flexibility of the spine. The vertebrae are cushioned from each other by cartilage disks which act as shock absorbers to protect the vertebrae in the spine. The vertebrae may be separate (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae), semi-articulated (as in some coccygeal vertebrae), or fused (as in the sacrum and coccyx). The typical vertebra has a body of solid bony material, which supports the weight of the spine, and an arch, which forms the vertebral foramen. It is the adjoining vertebral foramina which creates a canal down through the spinal column which houses and protects the spinal cord. The thoracic vertebrae feature facets to which the ribs attach, called costal facets.
Research Vertebrae