The skeleton maintains the shape of the body, protects internal organs and makes locomotion possible. The vertebrae support the body and protect the spinal cord. They consist of: cervical vertebrae in...The skeleton maintains the shape of the body, protects internal organs and makes locomotion possible. The vertebrae support the body and protect the spinal cord. They consist of: cervical vertebrae in the neck, thoracic vertebrae in the chest region which articulate with the ribs, lumbar vertebrae in the loin region, sacral vertebrae fused to the pelvis to form the sacrum and tail or coccygeal vertebrae. It moves against or articulates with the pelvis at the hip joint.
The vertebral column consists of a series of bones called vertebrae linked together to form a flexible column with the skull at one end and the tail at the other. In the neck there are cervical verteb...The vertebral column consists of a series of bones called vertebrae linked together to form a flexible column with the skull at one end and the tail at the other. In the neck there are cervical vertebrae with the two top ones, the atlas and axis, being specialized to support the head and allow it to nod “Yes” and shake “No”. Thoracic vertebrae in the chest region have special surfaces against which the ribs move during breathing.
