Answer:
The vertebral column, or backbone, is made up of a series of repeating, or metameric, structures called vertebrae (singular, vertebra) that extend from the head to the tail along the dorsal (top) side of the body. The function of the vertebral column is to provide the central support structure of the endoskeleton, allowing an organism to hold its shape. It also serves to house and protect the spinal cord that that lies within the column.