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.
For other uses, see Vertebra (disambiguation). In the vertebrate spinal column, each vertebra is an irregular bone with a complex structure composed of bone and some hyaline cartilage, the proportions of which vary according to the segment of the backbone and the species of vertebrate. The basic configuration of a vertebra varies; the large part is the body, and the central part is the centrum.