There are no bones in the spinal cord; rather, the spinal cord is protected by the spinal column, which is made up of 33 vertebrae.
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that runs through the vertebral canal formed by the stacked vertebrae. These vertebrae provide protection and support. The vertebral column, also known as the spine, is composed of individual bones called vertebrae. These are divided into different regions:
- Cervical: Located in the neck (7 vertebrae)
- Thoracic: Located in the upper back (12 vertebrae)
- Lumbar: Located in the lower back (5 vertebrae)
- Sacrum: Located at the base of the spine (5 fused vertebrae)
- Coccyx: Tailbone (3-5 fused vertebrae, commonly 4)
It's crucial to differentiate between the spinal cord, which is nervous tissue, and the spinal column or vertebral column, which is bone. The spinal cord itself does not contain any bones.
