Which region of the human vertebral column provides dorsal articulation for the ribs, and how many vertebrae does this region contain?

Step-by-step solution

The ribs are bicephalic bones that articulate ventrally with the sternum and dorsally with the vertebral column. Specifically, the ribs articulate dorsally with the thoracic vertebrae. In humans, there are 12 pairs of ribs, and they correspond to the 12 thoracic vertebrae. While there are 7 pairs of 'true ribs', the total number of thoracic vertebrae providing articulation for all the ribs is 12 . Thus, the region is Thoracic, and it contains 12 vertebrae. Answer: Thoracic, 12