Bicarbonate is a base and critical to neutralizing the acid coming into the small intestine from the stomach. The mechanism underlying bicarbonate secretion is essentially the same as for acid secretion parietal cells and is dependent on the enzyme carbonic anhydrase.
The vertebral column (also known as the backbone or the spine), is a column of approximately 33 small bones, called vertebrae. The column runs from the cranium to the apex of the coccyx, on the posterior aspect of the body. It contains and protects the spinal cord.
The Vertebral Column. The vertebral column (spine) is made up of 33 different bones, called vertebrae. The first 24 vertebrae are called articulating and the last 9 are called fused.. In addition to the distrinction between articulating and fused, vertebrae are divided into five different categories.