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- Current: Dec 21, 2022
Vertebra (vertebrae)
A vertebra (pl. vertebrae) is a bone forming the spinal column (left panel of the figure).
Schematic diagram of vertebrae. By Jmarchn - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45612499
Definitions in the literature
- One of the bones of the backbone (vertebral column) [1].
- Vertebrae are the 33 individual, interlocking bones that form the spinal column. Each vertebra has three main functional components: the vertebral body for load-bearing, the vertebral arch to protect the spinal cord, and transverse processes for ligament attachment [2].
