
Starting at the neck and going down toward your buttocks (rear end), these segments include:
- Cervical (neck): The top part of the spine has seven vertebrae (C1 to C7). ...
- Thoracic (middle back): The chest or thoracic part of the spine has 12 vertebrae (T1 to T12). ...
- Lumbar (lower back): Five vertebrae (L1 to L5) make up the lower part of the spine. ...
- Sacrum: This triangle-shaped bone connects to the hips. ...
Full Answer
How many vertebrae are there in the human body?
In total, the human body has 33 vertebrae which are placed in the following way: 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 4 coccygeal vertebrae (the number is sometimes increased by an additional vertebra in one region, or it may be diminished in another).
What are the different regions of the vertebral column?
The vertebrae in the human vertebral column are divided into different regions, which correspond to the curves of the spinal column. The articulating vertebrae are named according to their region of the spine. Vertebrae in these regions are essentially alike, with minor variation. These regions are called the cervical spine, thoracic spine, ...
What are the groups of the vertebrae?
The groups of the vertebrae consist of: A normal adult has four curvatures in the vertebral column. Their main purpose is to align the head with a vertical line through the pelvis. Those in the chest and sacrum region are called the kyphosis, while the ones in the lower back and neck area are called lordosis.
How many vertebrae are in a dinosaur's vertebral column?
There are generally three to five vertebrae with the sacrum, and anything up to fifty caudal vertebrae. The vertebral column in dinosaurs consists of the cervical (neck), dorsal (back), sacral (hips), and caudal (tail) vertebrae.

How many vertebrae are in each segment?
The spine has three normal curves: cervical, thoracic and lumbar. There are seven cervical vertebrae in the neck, 12 thoracic vertebrae in the torso and five lumbar vertebrae in the lower back.
What are the 5 divisions of the vertebrae?
The vertebrae are numbered and divided into regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx (Fig.
How are vertebrae divided?
The vertebrae (back bones) of the spine include the cervical spine (C1-C7), thoracic spine (T1-T12), lumbar spine (L1-L5), sacral spine (S1-S5), and the tailbone. Each vertebra is separated by a disc. The vertebrae surround and protect the spinal cord.
What are the 4 divisions of the spinal cord?
The spinal cord is a cylindrical structure of nervous tissue composed of white and gray matter, is uniformly organized and is divided into four regions: cervical (C), thoracic (T), lumbar (L) and sacral (S), (Figure 3.1), each of which is comprised of several segments.
Are there 26 or 33 vertebrae?
The spine is made up of 33 vertebrae. More than 13 million neurons are found in the spine. Adults only have 26 vertebrae because bones fuse together as we age. There are 220 ligaments in the spine.
What is the number of vertebrae?
33The average person is born with 33 individual bones (the vertebrae) that interact and connect with each other through flexible joints called facets. By the time a person becomes an adult most have only 24 vertebrae because some vertebrae at the bottom end of the spine fuse together during normal growth and development.
What are the 3 types of vertebrae and how are they different?
The lower five vertebrae from the ribs to the sacrum constitute the lumbar spine. They form the largest vertebrae in the spine....Key Differences between Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar Vertebrae.Cervical VertebraThoracic VertebraLumbar VertebraNumbered asC1 to C7T1 to T12L1 to L5Size11 more rows
What are the 26 bones of the spine called?
What are the 26 bones of the spine called? The 26 bones of the spine are called vertebrae. The first 5 bones of the spine are known as the cervical vertebrae, the next 12 bones are known as the thoracic vertebrae followed by 5 lumbar vertebrae and then one fused sacral and a coccyx at the last.
What are the 3 sections of the spine?
The spine itself has three main segments: the cervical spine, the thoracic spine, and the lumbar spine. The cervical is the upper part of the spine, made up of seven vertebrae (bones).
What are the 7 major structures of the spinal cord?
- Along its length, it consists of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal segments. 31 pair of nerves that emerge from the segments of the spinal cord to innervate the body structures; 8 pairs of cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal pair of spinal nerves.
What are the 31 pairs of spinal nerves?
In humans there are 31 pairs: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal. Each pair connects the spinal cord with a specific region of the body. Near the spinal cord each spinal nerve branches into two roots.
What are the 31 segments of the spinal cord?
The spinal cord divides into 31 segments: cervical 8, thoracic 12, lumbar 5, sacral 5, and coccygeal 1. These segments consist of 31 pairs of spinal nerves with their respective spinal root ganglia. Spinal nerves contain the motor, sensory, and autonomic fibers. These nerves exit through the intervertebral foramen.
What is C3 C4 C5 c6/C7 of the spine?
The C3,C4, and C5 vertebrae are part of the cervical spinal column. There are seven vertebral levels in total in this region, known as C1-C7. These vertebrae protect the spinal cord running through the cervical region of the spine, as well as provide support for the neck and head.
What are the 5 regions of the vertebral column from superior to inferior?
From superior to inferior, these are:Cervical: 7 vertebrae (C1 = highest; C7 = lowest)Thoracic: 12 vertebrae (T1 = highest; T12 = lowest)Lumbar: 5 vertebrae (L1 = highest; L5 = lowest)Sacral: 5 fused vertebrae (S1 = highest; S5 = lowest)Coccygeal: 3-4 fused vertebrae (Co1 = highest; Co3 = lowest)
Which region of the vertebral column contains 5 vertebrae?
Lumbar spine: 5 vertebrae (L1–L5) Sacrum: 5 (fused) vertebrae (S1–S5) Coccyx: 4 (3–5) (fused) vertebrae (Tailbone)
Which of the following sections of the spinal column have five vertebrae?
Which of the following sections of the spinal column have five vertebrae? The lumbar section.
What is the spinal column?
The vertebral column, also known as the spinal column, is a flexible column that encloses the spinal cord and also supports the head. It consists of various groups of vertebrae and is divided into five different areas. An internal disk is located between each vertebra. A gelatinous substance called nucleus pulposus can be found in each disk, ...
What is the name of the curvature in the vertebral column?
A normal adult has four curvatures in the vertebral column. Their main purpose is to align the head with a vertical line through the pelvis. Those in the chest and sacrum region are called the kyphosis, while the ones in the lower back and neck area are called lordosis. Last medically reviewed on January 23, 2018.
How many curvatures are there in the vertebrae?
The vertebrae are stacked on top of each other into groups. The groups of the vertebrae consist of: A normal adult has four curvatures in the vertebral column. Their main purpose is to align the head with a vertical line through the pelvis.
What is the backbone of a vertebrate?
The vertebral column , also known as the backbone or spine, is part of the axial skeleton. The vertebral column is the defining characteristic of a vertebrate in which the notochord (a flexible rod of uniform composition) found in all chordates has been replaced by a segmented series of bone: vertebrae separated by intervertebral discs. The vertebral column houses the spinal canal, a cavity that encloses and protects the spinal cord .
What is abnormal curvature?
Excessive or abnormal spinal curvature is classed as a spinal disease or dorsopathy and includes the following abnormal curvatures: 1 Kyphosis is an exaggerated kyphotic (convex) curvature of the thoracic region in the sagittal plane, also called hyperkyphosis. This produces the so-called "humpback" or "dowager's hump", a condition commonly resulting from osteoporosis. 2 Lordosis is an exaggerated lordotic (concave) curvature of the lumbar region in the sagittal plane, is known as lumbar hyperlordosis and also as "swayback". Temporary lordosis is common during pregnancy. 3 Scoliosis, lateral curvature, is the most common abnormal curvature, occurring in 0.5% of the population. It is more common among females and may result from unequal growth of the two sides of one or more vertebrae, so that they do not fuse properly. It can also be caused by pulmonary atelectasis (partial or complete deflation of one or more lobes of the lungs) as observed in asthma or pneumothorax. 4 Kyphoscoliosis, a combination of kyphosis and scoliosis.
What are the vertebrae in the human vertebral column?
Main article: Vertebra. The vertebrae in the human vertebral column are divided into different regions, which correspond to the curves of the spinal column. The articulating vertebrae are named according to their region of the spine. Vertebrae in these regions are essentially alike, with minor variation.
How many vertebrae are there in the human body?
In a human's vertebral column, there are normally thirty-three vertebrae. The upper 24 pre-sacral vertebrae are articulating and separated from each other by intervertebral discs, and the lower nine are fused in adults, five in the sacrum and four in the coccyx, or tailbone. The articulating vertebrae are named according to their region ...
What is the posterior of the vertebral arch?
The vertebral arch is posterior, meaning it faces the back of a person. Together, these enclose the vertebral foramen, which contains the spinal cord. Because the spinal cord ends in the lumbar spine, and the sacrum and coccyx are fused, they do not contain a central foramen.
How many processes are there in the vertebral arch?
The vertebral arch is formed by a pair of pedicles and a pair of laminae, and supports seven processes, four articular, two transverse, and one spinous, the latter also being known as the neural spine. Two transverse processes and one spinous process are posterior to (behind) the vertebral body.
Which region of the vertebral column is separated from the posterior surface?
Lateral surfaces. The sides of the vertebral column are separated from the posterior surface by the articular processes in the cervical and thoracic regions and by the transverse processes in the lumbar region.
What is the spinal canal?
The spinal canal is a bony tunnel surrounding the spinal cord. It is made up of the front (anterior) of the vertebral body, the pedicles on the sides of the vertebral body and the lamina in the back. In the lower back it not only contains the spinal cord, it also contains the nerve roots of the lower spine.
What is the function of each vertebra?
Each vertebra is composed of several parts that act as a whole to surround and protect the spinal cord and nerves, provide structure to the body and enable fluid movement in many planes.
What is the lowest level of the cervical spine?
If present in the cervical spine they occur at the lowest level (C7) and are called a cervical rib. They may impair exiting nerve roots and cause pain.
What is the roof of the spinal canal that provides support and protection for the backside of the spinal cord?
The lamina is is the roof of the spinal canal that provides support and protection for the backside of the spinal cord.
Which side of the vertebrae is the inferior articular facet?
The pair that faces upward is the superior articular facet. The pair that faces downward is the inferior articular facet. The facet complex is surrounded by a watertight synovial capsule, much like the small joints in the fingers that allow for smooth movement.
Which part of the vertebral body protects the spinal cord and nerve roots?
The front or anterior section of the vertebral body protects the spinal cord and nerve roots. Both the vertebral body and the discs increase in size from the head to the sacrum.
Where are spinous processes located?
They are bony projections that arise at right angles (perpendicular) to the midline of the lamina. Each spinous process is attached to the spinous process above and below it by ligaments. Sometimes these processes are absent or bifid in the cervical spine.
How many bones are in the appendicular skeleton?
They include the bones of the head, vertebral column, ribs and breastbone or sternum. The appendicular skeleton consists of 126 bones and includes the free appendages and their attachments to the axial skeleton. The free appendages are the upper and lower extremities, or limbs, and their attachments which are called girdles.
How many bones are there in the human body?
The adult human skeleton usually consists of 206 named bones. These bones can be grouped in two divisions: axial skeleton and appendicular skeleton. The 80 bones of the axial skeleton form the vertical axis of the body. They include the bones of the head, vertebral column, ribs and breastbone or sternum. The appendicular skeleton consists of 126 ...
What are the free appendages of the body?
The free appendages are the upper and lower extremities, or limbs, and their attachments which are called girdles. The named bones of the body are listed below by category. « Previous (Classification of Bones) Next (Axial Skeleton (80 bones)) ».
What is the area where two or more bones connect?
Joints are areas where 2 or more bones connect. Ligaments are connective tissue that hold bones together at the joints.
Why are the first 3 ribs called the last 2?
they are called that because the first 3 are attached to the cartilage of the ribs and the last 2 have no attachment to the sternum or the front of the body.

Overview
Structure
The number of vertebrae in a region can vary but overall the number remains the same. In a human vertebral column, there are normally 33 vertebrae. The upper 24 pre-sacral vertebrae are articulating and separated from each other by intervertebral discs, and the lower nine are fused in adults, five in the sacrum and four in the coccyx, or tailbone. The articulating vertebrae are named according …
Ligaments
There are different ligaments involved in the holding together of the vertebrae in the column, and in the column's movement. The anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments extend the length of the vertebral column along the front and back of the vertebral bodies. The interspinous ligaments connect the adjoining spinous processes of the vertebrae. The supraspinous ligament extends the length of the spine running along the back of the spinous processes, from the sacrum to the sev…
Development
The striking segmented pattern of the spine is established during embryogenesis when somites are rhythmically added to the posterior of the embryo. Somite formation begins around the third week when the embryo begins gastrulation and continues until all somites are formed. Their number varies between species: there are 42 to 44 somites in the human embryo and around 52 in the chick embryo. The somites are spheres, formed from the paraxial mesoderm that lies at the side…
Function
The vertebral column surrounds the spinal cord which travels within the spinal canal, formed from a central hole within each vertebra. The spinal cord is part of the central nervous system that supplies nerves and receives information from the peripheral nervous system within the body. The spinal cord consists of grey and white matter and a central cavity, the central canal. Adjacent to each verteb…
Clinical significance
Spina bifida is a congenital disorder in which there is a defective closure of the vertebral arch. Sometimes the spinal meninges and also the spinal cord can protrude through this, and this is called Spina bifida cystica. Where the condition does not involve this protrusion it is known as Spina bifida occulta. Sometimes all of the vertebral arches may remain incomplete.
Other animals
The general structure of vertebrae in other animals is largely the same as in humans. Individual vertebrae are composed of a centrum (body), arches protruding from the top and bottom of the centrum, and various processes projecting from the centrum and/or arches. An arch extending from the top of the centrum is called a neural arch, while the haemal arch or chevron is found un…
See also
• Low back pain
• Neuromechanics of idiopathic scoliosis
• Neutral spine