Final answer:
The vertebral column is made up of 33 vertebrae divided into five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. The cervical vertebrae have distinguishing features such as a small body, bifid spinous process, sharply curved transverse processes, and superior and inferior articular processes that largely face upward or downward.
Step-by-step explanation:
The vertebral column, also known as the spine or backbone, is made up of 33 vertebrae divided into five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. The first 24 vertebrae, consisting of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions, are individual bones, while the sacral and coccygeal vertebrae are fused together. The cervical vertebrae have distinguishing features such as a small body, bifid spinous process, sharply curved transverse processes, and superior and inferior articular processes that largely face upward or downward.