5-1

The Skeletal System

Learning Outcomes
5.1 Describe the parts of a long bone.

5.2 List the substances that make up bone tissue.

5.3 List the functions of bones.

5.4 Identify bones by their classifications.

5.5 Describe how long bones grow.

Learning Outcomes (cont.)
5.6 List and describe the skeletal structures and
one location of each structure.

5.7 List the bones of the skull, spinal column, rib

cage, shoulders, arms, hands, hips, legs, and
feet. Describe the location of each bone.

5.8 Define fontanels and explain their importance.

Learning Outcomes (cont.)
5.9 Describe the three major types of joints and
give examples of each.

5.10 Describe the structure of a synovial joint.

5.11 Describe the causes, signs and symptoms, and

treatments of various diseases and disorders of
the skeletal system.
 Introduction
 Bones provide the  Divisions
body with structure  Axial – 80 bones
and support  Skull
 Vertebral column
 Rib cage
 206 bones with joints  Appendicular – 126
and connective tissue bones
 Arms and legs
 Pectoral girdle
 Pelvic girdle
The Skeletal System
 Bone Structure
 Bones contain various kinds of tissues, including
 Osseous tissue
 Blood vessels
 Nerves

 Osseous tissue can

appear compact or
spongy
Bone Structure (cont.)
 Compact bone looks
solid
 Structures can be
observed with a
microscope

 All bones are made

up of both compact
and spongy bone
 Bone Structure (cont.)
 Classification by shape
 Long bones – located primarily in the arms and legs
 Femur (thigh bone)
 Humerus (upper arm bone)
 Short bones – small bones
located in the wrists
and ankles
 Carpals (wrist bones)
 Tarsals (ankle bones)
 Bone Structure (cont.)
 Flat bones – located in the
skull and rib cage
 Ribs
 Frontal bone

 Irregular bones
 Vertebrae
 Bones of the pelvic girdle
 Bone Structure: Gender Differences
 Male Skull  Male pelvic bones
 Larger and heavier  Heavier and thicker

 Forehead shorter  Obturator foramina and

acetabula are larger
 Face less round and closer together

 Jaw larger

 Mastoid processes
more prominent
 Bone Structure: Gender Differences
(cont.)
 Male pelvic cavity  Male coccyx
 Narrower and longer  Less movable
 Less roomy and more
funnel shaped
 Male sacrum
 Narrower
 Sacral promontory projects forward
 Sacral curvature is less sharp posteriorly
 Apply Your Knowledge
Match bone to classification. ANSWER:
___
L Humerus L. Long bones
___
F Rib S. Short bones
___
L Femur F. Flat bones
___
I Pelvic bones I. Irregular bones
___
S Carpals
Very
___
F Frontal bone Good!
___
I Vertebra
___
S Tarsals
 Functions of Bones
 Give shape to body parts
 Support and protect soft structures
 Examples – brain, lungs, heart

 Allow body movement, because skeletal

muscles attach to them
 Allow for voluntary movement
 Functions of Bones (cont.)
 Red bone marrow of
bone produces new
blood cells –
hematopoiesis
 Store calcium
 Apply Your Knowledge

Why is it important for the bones to store calcium?

ANSWER: Every cell in the body needs calcium, so the body

must have a large supply readily available.

Correct!
 Bone Growth
 Ossification – process of bone
growth
 Intramembranous ossification
 Bones begin as tough, fibrous
membrane
 Bone-forming cells called
osteoblasts turn the membrane to
bone (located in skull)
 Bone Growth (cont.)
 Endochondral ossification
 Bones begin as cartilage
models
 Primary ossification center
 Bone formed in the diaphysis
 Secondary ossification center
 Epiphyses turn to bone
 Bones with some cartilage between an epiphysis and the
diaphysis will continue to grow
 Medullary cavity and spaces in cancellous bone form
 Cells that form holes in bone are called osteoclasts
 Bone Growth: Building Better Bones
 Teach healthy behaviors
 Bone-healthy diet with calcium and vitamin D
 Bone-health exercises
 Weight-bearing
 Strength training
 Bone-healthy lifestyle
 Avoid smoking
 Avoid alcohol
 Bone Growth (cont.)
 Bone tests
 Bone density
 Bone scans
 Diagnose causes of
 Bone pain
 Arthritis
 Bone infections
 Bone cancers
 Apply Your Knowledge
What are the two types of bone growth?
ANSWER: Intramembranous ossification, in which bones
begin as tough membrane and are turned to bone by
osteoblasts, and endochondral ossification, in which
primary ossification occurs in the diaphysis of the of the
bone and secondary ossification occurs in the epiphysis.

Good Job!
 Bony Structures
 Rigid foundation
 Projections and processes for muscle and
ligament attachment
 Depressions and hollows for articulations – the
connection of bones at joints
 Openings for blood vessels and nerves
 Bony Structures (cont.)
Term Definition
Condyle A rounded process that usually articulates
with another bone
Crest A narrow, ridge-like projection
Epicondyle A projection situated above a condyle

Foramen An opening through a bone that is usually a

passageway for blood vessels, nerves, or
ligaments
Fossa A relatively deep pit or depression
 Bony Structures (cont.)
Term Definition
Head An enlargement on the end of a bone
Process A prominent projection on a bone
Suture An interlocking line of union between bones

Trochanter A relatively large process

Tubercle A small, knoblike process

Tuberosity A knoblike process, usually larger than a
tubercle
 The Skull
 Two bone types:
 Cranial – form the top, sides, and back of the
skull
 Facial – form the face

“Soft spots” felt on an infant's skull are

actually fontanels
 Tough membranes that connect the
incompletely developed bones
 Apply Your Knowledge
ANSWER:
Match the following:
E Epicondyle A. A relatively deep pit or depression
___
C Fontanels
___ B. An interlocking line of union between bones
A Fossa
___ C. “Soft spots” felt on an infant’s skull
F Process
___ D. A knoblike process, usually larger than a tubercle
B Suture
___ E. A projection situated above a condyle
D Tuberosity
___ F. A prominent projection on a bone
 The Skull: Cranial Bones
 Frontal – anterior  Sphenoid and ethmoid
bones – floor
 Parietal – top and most
of the sides  Ear ossicles are the
smallest bones of the
 Occipital – back body
 Malleus
 Temporal – form the  Incus
lower sides of the skull  Stapes
 The Skull (cont.)
 Palatine – form the
 Mandible – forms the lower
anterior portion of the
jaw bone
palate
 Maxillae – form the upper
jawbone  Vomer – a thin bone that
divides the nasal cavity
 Zygomatic – form the
prominence of the cheeks

 Nasal bones – fuse together

to form the bridge of the
nose
Click to see Skull
 Apply Your Knowledge
ANSWER:
Match the bones of the skull:
E Occipital
___ A. Form the upper jawbone
C Sphenoid
___ B. A thin bone that divides the nasal cavity
F Mandible
___ C. Part of floor of skull
A Maxillae
___ D. Form the prominence of the cheeks
D Zygomatic
___ E. Back of skull
Very
B Vomer
___ F. Lower jaw bone
Good!
 The Spinal
Column
 7 cervical vertebrae
 12 thoracic vertebrae
 5 lumbar vertebrae
 Sacrum
 Coccyx
 The Spinal Column (cont.)
 Cervical vertebrae  Thoracic vertebrae
 Smallest and lightest  Join the 12 pairs of ribs
 Located in the neck
region
 First one is atlas  Lumbar vertebrae
 Second one is axis  Have very sturdy
structures
 The Spinal Column (cont.)
 Sacrum
 A triangular-shaped bone that consists of five fused
vertebrae
 Coccyx
 A small, triangular-shaped bone made up of 3 to 5 fused
vertebrae
 Considered unnecessary
 More commonly called the tailbone
 Apply Your Knowledge
ANSWER:
Identify the Cervical – 7
sections of the
spinal column
and give the Thoracic – 12
number of
vertebrae for
each.
Sacrum –
Lumbar – 5
5 fused

Right! Coccyx –
3 to 5 fused
 The Rib Cage
 Sternum
 Breastplate
 Forms the front middle
portion of the rib cage
 Joins with the clavicles
and most ribs
 Xyphoid process
 Cartilaginous tip
 The Rib Cage (cont.)
 12 pairs of ribs
 All are attached
posteriorly to thoracic
vertebrae
 True
 First seven pairs of ribs
 Attach to sternum by
costal cartilage
 False
 Rib pairs 8, 9, and 10
 Attach to the costal
cartilage of rib pair 7
 Floating
 Rib pairs 11 and 12
 Do not attach anteriorly
to any structure
 Apply Your Knowledge
ANSWER:
True or False:
T The sternum forms the front middle portion of the rib cage.
___

F The xyphoid process is a boney tip of the sternum.

___
cartilaginous
F The true ribs are the first five pairs of ribs.
___
seven
T False ribs attach to the costal cartilage of rib pair seven.
___

F Floating ribs attach to the xyphoid process.

___
do not attach anteriorly to any structure.
Bones of the Shoulders, Arms,
and Hands
 Shoulders – pectoral girdles
 Clavicles
 Scapulae

 Upper limb or arm bones

 Humerus
 Radius
 Ulna
Bones of the Shoulders, Arms, and
Hands (cont.)
 Hand
 8 carpals per hand
 5 metacarpals per hand
 14 phalanges per hand
 3 in each finger
 2 in each thumb
 Apply Your Knowledge
Match the following: ANSWER:
A Clavicle
___ A. Pectoral girdle
B Radius
___ B. Arm bones
B Humerus
___ C. Hands
C Carpals
___
A Scapula
___
B Ulna
___
C Phalanges
___
C Metacarpals
___
Bones of the Hips, Legs,
and Feet
 Hipbones
 Coxal bones form
the pelvic girdle
 Ilium
 Ischium
 Pubis
Bones of the Hips, Legs,
and Feet (cont.)
 Bones of leg
 Femur
 Patella
 Tibia
 Fibula
Bones of the Hips, Legs,
and Feet (cont.)
 Bones of the foot
 Tarsals
 Metatarsals
 Phalanges
 Apply Your Knowledge
ANSWER:
Match the following:
A. Coxal bones B. Leg bones C. Foot bones
B Tibia
___ B Patella
___
A Ilium
___ A Ischium
___
B Femur
___ C Metatarsals
___
A Pubis

Super!
___ B Fibula
___
___
C Calcaneus ___
C Tarsals
 Joints
 Junctions between bones
 Classification based on
structure
 Fibrous joints
 Connected together with
short fibers
 Between cranial bones and
facial bones
 Sutures – fibrous joints in
the skull
Joints
 Cartilaginous
joints
 Connected
together with a
disc of cartilage
 Between vertebrae
 Joints
 Synovial joints
 Covered with hyaline cartilage
 Held together by a fibrous joint
capsule lined with synovial
membrane
 Secretes synovial fluid so bones
move easily against each other
 Freely movable
 Bones are also held together through tough, cord-like
structures called ligaments
 Apply Your Knowledge
ANSWER:
Match the following:
A. Fibrous joints B. Cartilaginous joints C. Synovial joints
A Between cranial bones and facial bones
____
C Covered with hyaline cartilage
____
B Between vertebrae
____
C Freely movable
____
A Sutures in the skull
____
 Common Diseases and Disorders
 Arthritis – general term meaning joint
inflammation
 Osteoarthritis – degenerative joint disease,
primarily of weight-bearing joints

 Rheumatoid Arthritis – chronic systemic

inflammatory disease of smaller joints and
surrounding tissues
 Common Diseases and Disorders
(cont.)

 Bursitis – inflammation of a bursa (fluid-filled sac

that cushions tendons)
 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – overuse of wrist; the
median nerve in the wrist becomes compressed
 Ewing’s Family of Tumors (EFT) – a group of
tumors that affect different tissue types; primarily
bone
 Gout – a type of arthritis; deposits of uric acid
crystals in the joints
 Common Diseases and Disorders
(cont.)

 Kyphosis – abnormal curvature of the spine

(humpback)
 Lordosis – exaggerated inward curvature of the
lumbar spine (swayback)
 Osteogenesis imperfecta – brittle-bone disease

 Osteoporosis – a condition in which bones thin

(become porous) over time
 Common Diseases and Disorders
(cont.)

 Osteosarcoma – a type of bone cancer that originates

from osteoblasts, the cells that make bony tissue

 Paget’s disease – causes bones to

enlarge and become deformed
and weak

 Scoliosis – an abnormal
S-shaped curvature of the spine
 Apply Your Knowledge
The doctor has told your patient that he has an
osteosarcoma. What do you know about this
disorder?
Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that
originates from osteoblasts, the cells that make
bony tissue.

Nice Work!
In Summary
 Skeletal system
 Two divisions
 Bone growth through ossification
 Functions
 Supports the body
 Protects internal organs
 Attachment for muscles for movement
 Stores minerals
 Produces new blood cells by hematopoiesis
 Joined by three types of joints
End of Chapter

Rigid, the skeleton of

habit alone upholds
the human frame.
~ Virginia Woolf