What is Vertebra?
[[Image:Gray90.png|right|thumb|300px|A diagram of a thoracic vertebra. Notice the [[Bone#Terminology|articulation]]s for the [[rib]]s]] [[Image:Spinal column curvature-en.svg|thumb|upright=0.8|Different regions of the [[vertebral column]]]] '''Vertebrae''' (singular: '''''vertebra''''') are the individual [[irregular bone]]s that make up the [[spinal column]] (''aka'' ischis) – a flexuous and flexible column. There are normally thirty-three (33) vertebrae in humans, including the five that are fused to form the [[sacrum]] (the others are separated by [[intervertebral disc]]s) and the four [[coccyx|coccygeal]] [[bone]]s which form the ''tailbone''. The upper three regions comprise the remaining 24, and are grouped under the names ''cervical'' (7 vertebrae), ''thoracic'' (12 vertebrae) and ''lumbar'' (5 vertebrae), according to the regions they occupy. Each vertebra has a hole through which the [[spinal cord]] passes. == References == * [http://www.bartleby.com/107/ Gray's Anatomy]: [http://www.bartleby.com/107/19.html The Vertebral column] - The [[1917]] [[Gray's Anatomy]] is available via the [http://www.bartleby.com 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]]. This article was copied and pasted from the 1917 Gray's Anatomy, which is in the [[public domain]]. * [http://www.isracast.com/tech_news/tech_updates/100106tech.aspx Smart implant will help broken vertebra] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929084145/http://www.isracast.com/tech_news/tech_updates/100106tech.aspx |date=2007-09-29 }} - An article from IsraCast [[Category:Bones]] [[Category:Back (anatomy)]]