| Axis | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:C2_lateral.png) Position of axis (shown in red) | |
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Gray87.png) Second cervical vertebra, or epistropheus, from above | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | axis, vertebra cervicalis II |
| MeSH | D001368 |
| TA98 | A02.2.02.201 |
| TA2 | 1050 |
| FMA | 12520 |
| Anatomical terms of bone | |
In anatomy, the axis (from Latin axis, "axle") is the second cervical vertebra (C2) of the spine, immediately inferior to the atlas, upon which the head rests. The spinal cord passes through the axis.
The defining feature of the axis is its strong bony protrusion known as the dens, which rises from the superior aspect of the bone.