In any body locale where strength of interconnection is a requirement, dense connective tissues are found. Forces transmitted across tissues determine how the protein fibers are placed within each tissue type. For example, tendons and ligaments are cords of the body that must resist linear forces along their lengths.
The cervical spine in your neck is made up of seven bones called vertebrae, which are separated by discs filled with a cushioning gel-like substance. Your cervical discs both stabilize your neck and allow it to turn smoothly from side to side and bend forward to back.
In the lumbar spine it is the upper vertebrae that they are named after, hence L3 at the L3-L4 vertebrae. Although there are seven cervical vertebra, there are eight cervical nerves, which can cause some confusion when discussing the location of neck pain and the nerve causing it. The first cervical nerve (C1) emerges from between the Atlas and the occipital bone and is, therefore, called the suboccipital nerve. Nerves are protected by insulation in the majority of cases, and have the capacity to transmit or receive an electrical charge from the brain or from parts of the spinal cord.