SKELETAL SYSTEM
Divided into two divisions
1. Axial skeleton
2. Appendicular skeleton
Parts of the skeletal system
• Bones (skeleton)
• Joints
• Cartilages
• Ligaments
Function of the Bones
1. Support of the body
2. Protection of soft organs
3. Movement due to attached skeletal muscles
4. Storage of minerals and fats
5. Blood cell formation
Classification of Bones
✓ The adult skeleton has 206 bones
Two basic types of osseous tissue
1. Compact bone
- dense and looks smooth
- homogenous
2. Spongy bone
- small needle-like pieces of bone
- many open spaces
Classification of Bones on the Basis of Shape
Gross Anatomy of a LONG BONE
Diaphysis
➢ Shaft
➢ Composed of compact bone
Epiphysis
➢ Ends of the bone
➢ Composed mostly of spongy bone
Structures of a LONG BONE
Periosteum
➢ Outside covering of the diaphysis
➢ Fibrous connective tissue membrane
Sharpey’s fibers
➢ Secure periosteum to underlying bone
Arteries
➢ Supply bone cells with nutrient
Medullary cavity
➢ Cavity of the shaft
➢ Contains yellow marrow (mostly fat) in adults
➢ Contains red marrow (for blood cell formation) in infants
Articular cartilage
➢ Covers the external surface of the epiphyses
➢ Made of hyaline cartilage
➢ Decreases friction at joint surfaces
BONE MARKINGS
➢ Surface features of bones
➢ Sites of attachments for muscles, tendons, and ligaments
➢ Passages for nerves and blood vessels
➢ Categories of bone markings
✓ Projections and processes – grow out from the bone surface
✓ Depressions or cavities – indentations
MICROSCOPIC ANATOMY OF BONE
Osteon (Haversian System)
➢ A unit of bone
Central (Haversian) canal
➢ Opening in the center of an osteon
➢ Carries blood vessels and nerves
Perforating (Volkman’s) canal
➢ Canal perpendicular to the central canal
➢ Carries blood vessels and nerves
Lacunae
➢ Cavities containing bone cells (osteocytes)
➢ Arranged in concentric rings
Lamellae
➢ Rings around the central canal
➢ Sites of lacunae
Canaliculi
➢ Tiny canals
➢ Radiate from the central canal to lacunae
➢ Form a transport system
Bone Formation, Growth and Remodeling
➢ In embryos, the skeleton is primarily hyaline cartilage
➢ During development, much of this cartilage is replaced by bone
➢ Cartilage remains in isolated areas
✓ Bridge of the nose
✓ Parts of ribs
✓ Joints
Ossification – is the process of bone formation
It involves two major phases:
- First, the hyaline cartilage model is completely covered with bone matrix by
bone forming cells called osteoblasts.
- Then, the enclosed hyaline cartilage model is digested away, opening up a
medullar cavity
within the newly
formed bone.
LONG BONE FORMATION AND
GROWTH
How do bones widen?
- Osteoblasts in the periosteum add bone to the external face of the diaphysis
as osteoclasts in the endosteum remove bone from the inner face of the
diaphysis wall.
- Appositional growth - the process by which the bones increase in diameter.
FORMATION AND GROWTH OF
LONG BONES
Bones are remodeled continually in response changes in two factors:
- Calcium levels in the blood
- The pull of gravity and muscles on the skeleton.
TYPES OF BONE CELLS
Osteocytes - Mature bone cells
Osteoblasts - Bone-forming cells
Osteoclasts - Bone-destroying cells
- Break down bone matrix for remodeling and release of calcium
Bone remodeling is a process by both osteoblasts and osteoclasts
- Is essential if bones are retain normal proportions and strength during long-
bone growth as the body increases in size and weight.
- Bones become thicker and form large projections to increase their strength
in areas where bulky muscles are attached
Bone Fractures – a break in a bone
Types of bone fractures
• Closed (simple) fracture - break that does not penetrate the skin.
• Open (compound) fracture - broken bone penetrates through the skin
Bone fractures are treated by reduction or immobilization
- Realignment of the bone
Repair of Bone Fractures
- Hematoma (blood-filled swelling) is formed.
- Break is splinted by fibrocartilage to form a callus.
- Fibrocartilage callus is replaced by a bony callus
- Bony callus is remodeled to form a permanent patch
3. The bony callus forms
- As the more osteoblasts and osteoclasts migrate into the area and multiply,
the fibrocartilage callus is gradually replaced by one made of spongy bone
the bony callus.
4. Bone remodeling occurs
- Over the next few weeks or months, the bony callus is remodeled in response
to the mechanical stressed placed on it and it forms a strong permanent
“patch” at the fracture sight.
Axial skeleton – Forms the longitudinal axis of the body
Divided into three parts:
1. Skull
2. Vertebral column
3. Bony thorax
The Skull
Two sets of bones
1. Cranium
2. Facial bones
Bones are joined by sutures
Only the mandible is attached by a freely movable joint.
Cranium – The boxlike cranium is composed of eight large flat bones.
1. Frontal Bone – forms the forehead, the bony projections under the eyebrows and
the superior part of each eye’s orbit.
2. Parietal Bones – form most of the superior and lateral walls of the cranium. They
meet in the midline of the skull at the sagittal suture and form the coronal suture,
where they meet the frontal bone
3. Temporal Bone – it lies inferior to the parietal bones; they join them at the
squamous sutures.
4. Occipital Bone – the most posterior part of the cranium. It forms the floor and black
wall of the skull.
5. Sphenoid Bone – the butterfly-shaped sphenoid bone spans the width of the skull
and forms part of the floor of the cranial cavity
6. Ethmoid Bone – is very irregularly shaped and lies anterior to the sphenoid. It forms
the roof of the nasal cavity and part of the medial walls of the orbits.
