Vertebra — Anatomy Notes, Diagram & Quiz

The Vertebra is located in the spine. Supports body weight and protects spinal cord. The Vertebra has a vertebral body and arch.

Vertebra highlighted in a 3D model of the human body
Vertebra highlighted in the 3D body atlas. 3D atlas: BodyParts3D (DBCLS, CC BY-SA 2.1 Japan); Écorché/Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0). Rendered in anotemy.

Key facts

Vertebra at a glance
LocationSpine
Main functionSupports body weight and protects spinal cord.
Layerskeleton
Key fact 1The Vertebra has a vertebral body and arch.
Key fact 2The Vertebra articulates with adjacent vertebrae via intervertebral discs.
Key fact 3The Vertebra may sustain compression fractures in osteoporosis.

Where is the Vertebra located?

The Vertebra is located in the spine.

The Vertebra has a vertebral body and arch.

What does the Vertebra do?

Supports body weight and protects spinal cord.

The Vertebra articulates with adjacent vertebrae via intervertebral discs.

What to know for exams

  • The Vertebra has a vertebral body and arch.
  • The Vertebra articulates with adjacent vertebrae via intervertebral discs.
  • The Vertebra may sustain compression fractures in osteoporosis.

It belongs to the skeleton layer. Learn its location, relations, and the structures it works with.

Clinical relevance

The Vertebra may sustain compression fractures in osteoporosis.

Link the vertebra to its blood supply, innervation and relations. That is how exam questions usually test it.

Memory aid: Vertebra

The Vertebra has a vertebral body and arch. The Vertebra articulates with adjacent vertebrae via intervertebral discs. The Vertebra may sustain compression fractures in osteoporosis.

Chain it as location → function → clinical link when you revise.

Vertebra anatomy quiz

Five questions. Open each answer after you commit to a response.

  1. Where is the Vertebra located?

    Reveal answer

    Spine

  2. What is the main function of the Vertebra?

    Reveal answer

    Supports body weight and protects spinal cord.

  3. Give one key fact about the Vertebra.

    Reveal answer

    The Vertebra has a vertebral body and arch.

  4. Give another key fact about the Vertebra.

    Reveal answer

    The Vertebra articulates with adjacent vertebrae via intervertebral discs.

  5. What clinical link is associated with the Vertebra?

    Reveal answer

    The Vertebra may sustain compression fractures in osteoporosis.

Common questions

Where is the Vertebra located?

The Vertebra is located in the spine. The Vertebra has a vertebral body and arch.

What does the Vertebra do?

Supports body weight and protects spinal cord. The Vertebra articulates with adjacent vertebrae via intervertebral discs.

What is a key fact about the Vertebra?

The Vertebra may sustain compression fractures in osteoporosis.

What layer does the Vertebra belong to?

It belongs to the skeleton layer of the body.

What should I remember for exams?

The Vertebra has a vertebral body and arch. The Vertebra articulates with adjacent vertebrae via intervertebral discs. The Vertebra may sustain compression fractures in osteoporosis.

Sources

  1. Standring, S. (ed.). Gray’s Anatomy, 42nd edition. Elsevier, 2020.
  2. TeachMeAnatomy — anatomy library
  3. Kenhub — anatomy library
  4. StatPearls / NCBI Bookshelf — Vertebra search

3D atlas and image credits

Anatomy models: BodyParts3D, © Database Center for Life Science (DBCLS), CC BY-SA 2.1 Japan. Écorché by Charleeh, derived from BodyParts3D and Z-Anatomy, CC BY-SA 4.0. Rendered in anotemy. Changes: highlighting, framing, labels and background removal. Images: CC BY-SA 4.0.

The 3D models are third-party assets under Creative Commons share-alike licences. They keep those licences; the page text is separate. If you reuse an image, keep the attribution and the share-alike licence.