Your best source for background information on the spine.

The backbone surrounds and protects the delicate spinal cord.There are 33 sections in a baby's backbone,24 in a grown adult.Muscles and legaments attach to the sections.The muscles support the spine.Cartilige makes up 25% of the Spine's length.Cartilige is what bones are made of and some cartilige are still not developed.The spinal cord is the center of the nerous system which is the feeling system.

The backbone has many sections.The top section is the Cervical Vertebrae.The middle section is the Dorsal or Thoracic Vertebrae.The last and final section is the Lumbar Vertebrae.The is about 24 sections of the backbone.The backbone is the main support of the body and the bones.The location of the backbone is behind every organ in your body,including the heart.

DEFINITION--the vertebral column;the central support of the skeleton,consisting of individual bones called vertebrae.

"The spine (or spinal column)has two main funtions: it serves as a protective surrounding for the delicate spinal cord and forms the supporting backbone of the skeleton.The spine consist of 24 separate,differently shaped bones(veretrae)with a curved,triangular bone (the sacrum)at the bottom.The sacrum is made up of fused vertebrae; at its lower end is a small tail-like structure made up of tiny bones collectively called the coccyx.Between each pair of vertebrae is a disk of cartilage that cushions the bones during movement.The top two vertebrae differ in appearance from the others and work as a pair:the first,called the atlas,rotates around a stout vertical peg on the second,called the axis.This arrangement allows the skull to move freely up and down,and from side to side."By: The Visual Dictionary of the Human Body

"It is important we look after out teeth and feet but it is equally important for us to look after our spines. By doing so, you can help to prevent back damage, and gain an overview of what you can do if you suffer from problems. Your back is one of the most important parts of your body. It contains the SPINE, which supports the whole body and is in use 24 hours a day - even when you are asleep. The spine is made up of 33 small bones, called VERTEBRAE, which are stacked on top of one another. The vertebrae are divided into five groups. At the top of the spine are seven cervical (neck) vertebrae, followed by twelve thoracic (chest) and five lumbar (lower back). Beneath these are another five vertebrae, fused together to form the sacrum, and the spine finishes with the coccyx (tail bone)."From the National Back Pain Association

Your backbone is a part of the axial skeleton,which runs lengthwise down the center of the body.It consists of the skull, backbone, and the ribs.The appendicular skeleton connects with the axial skeleton.It consists of the legs and the arms.