Search notes:

SQL Server: sp_columns

Show all columns of all tables, views or table valued functions whose name is certificates: 
exec sp_columns @table_name = 'certificates'
Show all columns of all objects whose name contains cert: 
exec sp_columns @table_name = '%cert%'
Restrict selected objects to a specific schema (@table_owner): 
exec sp_columns @table_name = 'tables', @table_owner = 'sys'
exec sp_columns @table_name = 'tables', @table_owner = 'information_schema'
Show only columns whose name contains a specific substring: 
exec sp_columns @table_name = 'tables', @table_owner = 'sys', @column_name = '%type%'
As indicated, sp_columns not only shows columns of tables and views, but also of table valued functions which sp_columns itself happens to be: 
exec sp_columns @table_name = 'fn_builtin_permissions`

See also

Information about columns can also be queried with «ordinary» select statements from sys.columns or information_schema.columns.
Table columns
The names of tables can be found with the stored procedure sp_tables

Index