The Musculoskeletal System

Support, Protection, Movement and Locomotion

 Skeletal
Functions
 Framework for support
 Transmits movement
 Maintains shape
 Protects internal organs from
mechanical injury
 Contains and protects the red
bone marrow, one of the
hemopoietic (blood-forming)
tissues
 Mineral reservoir - storage site for
excess calcium and phosphorus
 Storage of fats – yellow marrow
 Cytoskeleton
 Maintains cell shape
 Microfilaments
 Intermediate
filaments
 Microtubules
 Protection
 Enables motion
 Cilia
 Pseudopodia
 Flagella
 Intracellular transport
 Cell division
 Hydrostatic
skeleton
 Fluid-filled closed
chambers
 Internal pressure
generated by
muscle
contraction
 e.g. sea anemone
and worms
 Exoskeleton
 Shelled molluscs
(CaCO3)
 Arthropods (chitin)
 Hard segments covering
muscles and visceral
organs
 Muscles are attached to
the exoskeleton
 Restricts growth and
size of insect  molting
 Endoskeleton

 Endoskeleton
 Internal, often
mineralized, connective
tissue
 Muscles on the outside
 Cartilage –
elasmobranchs
 Other vertebrates –
cartilage replaced by
bone as embryo matures
and develops
 Appendicular and axial
skeleton
 Axial skeleton (80 bones)
 axis of the body
 support and protection of main
organs
• Skull
• Sternum
• Ribs
• Vertebral Column + sacrum and
coccyx
 Appendicular skeleton (126 bones)
 anchors appendages to the axial
skeleton
• Upper Extremities
• Lower Extremities
• Pectoral Girdle
• Pelvic Girdle
 Types of bones
1. Long bones
• Long shaft (diaphysis)
• Two joint surfaces
(epiphyses)
• Mostly compact bone
• e.g. femur, tibia, fibula,
radius, ulna
2. Short bones
• Cube-shaped, mostly
spongy bone
• e.g. bones of wrist and
ankle, patella
3. Flat bones
• Thin and curved
• e.g. skull and sternum
4. Irregular bones
• Irregular and
complicated shapes
• e.g. spine and hips
Joints or articulations

 Meeting of two bones

 Types of joints
 Immovable
 Slightly movable
 Freely movable
  Compact bone
 series of Haversian
Bone Tissue canals
 concentric layers of
bone cells
(osteocytes)
 new bone formed by
osteocytes
 Spongy bone
 ends of long bones
 less dense
 contains red or yellow
marrow
 Periosteum
 outer layer of bone
 rich in nerve endings,
blood, and lymphatic
vessels
 inner portion forms
new bone or
remodels existing
bone
 Types of bone cells
1. Osteoblasts
 immature bone cells
 manufacture hormones
and enzymes that aid
in bone mineralization
2. Osteocytes
 mature osteoblasts in
lacunae (spaces)
 form bone, maintain
matrix
 act for calcium
homeostasis
3. Osteoclasts
 responsible for bone
reabsorption and
shaping
 located on bone
surfaces
 Bone formation
 Intramembranous  Endochondral
ossification  ossification  formation
formation of the flat of long bones
bones of the skull
 Bone remodeling

 Resorption of bone (by

osteoclasts) followed by
replacement of bones (by
osteocytes)
 Functions to regulate calcium
levels, repair damaged
bones, and shape and sculpt
the skeleton during growth
 Rate is regulated by
parathyroid hormones (PTH)
and Vitamin D
 Disorders of
the skeletal
system
 Osteoporosis
 Reduced bone density
leading to fractures
 Rickets and
osteomalacia
 Softening of bones leading
to deformations and
fractures
 Arthritis
 Inflammation of joints
 Bone fractures
 Scoliosis, kyphosis