Vertebral Column Structure and Function — NEET
✅ Asked in NEET 2026Our vertebral column is formed by 26 serially arranged units called vertebrae and is dorsally placed. It extends from the base of the skull and constitutes the main framework of the trunk. Each vertebra has a central hollow portion (neural canal) through which the spinal cord passes. First vertebra is the atlas and it articulates with the occipital condyles. The vertebral column is differentiated into cervical (7), thoracic (12), lumbar (5), sacral (1-fused) and coccygeal (1-fused) regions starting from the skull. The number of cervical vertebrae are seven in almost all mammals including human beings. The vertebral column protects the spinal cord, supports the head and serves as the point of attachment for the ribs and musculature of the back. Sternum is a flat bone on the ventral midline of thorax.
The vertebral column consists of 26 vertebrae arranged into five regions: cervical (7), thoracic (12), lumbar (5), sacral (1-fused), and coccygeal (1-fused). Each vertebra has a neural canal protecting the spinal cord. Students often confuse the number of vertebrae in each region or forget that sacral and coccygeal vertebrae are fused. Remember: cervical vertebrae are always 7 in mammals (a key NEET question type), and the atlas is the first cervical vertebra articulating with the skull. The column also supports the head, protects the spinal cord, and provides attachment points for ribs and back muscles—know all these functions as the NTA tests structure and function together.
Which statements are correct about human endoskeleton? A. Human skull is monocondylic. B. The joint between two adjacent vertebrae is cartilaginous. C. There are 7 cervical vertebrae. D. All ribs except last 2 pairs are bicephalic. E. Occipital bone articulates with atlas.
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