Chapter 7 - Skeletal system Flashcards
calcitonin (CT)
a hormone produced from the thyroid gland that increases mineralization of bone and thus reduces blood calcium
parathyroid hormone (PTH)
a hormone from the parathyroid glands that counterbalances the effects of calcitonin by decreasing calcium in the bone and thus increasing blood calcium
homeostasis of blood calcium
a reference to the fact that the body regulates the amount of calcium in the blood by moving the calcium to the bones when the blood calcium is too high and taking calcium away from the bones when the blood calcium is too low
red bone marrow
soft connective tissue inside the hard walls of some bones that produces both red and white blood cells
hematopoiesis
the process of blood cell formation
four major types of bones
Long bones—e.g., humerus or arm bone
Short bones—e.g., carpals or wrist bones
Flat bones—e.g., frontal or skull bone
Irregular bones—e.g., vertebrae or spinal bones
sesamoid bones
also called round bones; the term sesamoid means “like a sesame seed”; it refers to certain bones which may develop around a tendon, like the kneecap; sometimes considered to be a fifth type of major bone
diaphysis
also known as the shaft; a hollow tube made of hard, compact bone, hence a rigid and strong structure light enough in weight to permit easy movement
medullary cavity
the hollow area inside the diaphysis of a bone; contains soft yellow bone marrow
epiphyses (singular: epiphysis)
the ends of the bone—red bone marrow fills in small spaces in the spongy bone composing the epiphyses; some yellow marrow may appear as a person ages
articular cartilage
a thin layer of cartilage covering each epiphysis; functions like a small rubber cushion would if it were placed over the ends of bones where they form a joint
periosteum
a strong membrane of dense fibrous tissue covering a long bone everywhere except at joint surfaces
endosteum
a thin membrane that lines the medullary cavity
yellow bone marrow
marrow made mostly of fat that contains stem cells that can become cartilage, fat, or bone cells
diploe
the cancellous bone layer in flat bones, sandwiched between compact bone
trabeculae
a small, often microscopic, tissue element in the form of a small beam, strut or rod that supports or anchors a framework of parts within a body or organ
strut
(1) a rod or bar forming part of a framework and designed to resist compression
(2) a stiff, erect, and apparently arrogant or conceited gait
concentric lamella
tubes of different sizes fitting inside each other to surround the central canal of an osteon
haversian canal
also called the central canal; the center of an osteon, surrounded by concentric lamella; it is filled with blood vessels
lacuna
a small space, containing an osteocyte in bone, or a chondrocyte in cartilage
Volkmann canals
also called transverse canals; they are canals that connect haversian canals to each other
canaliculi
canals that connect the lacuna together and that are involved in distributing nutrients to all the bone cells in bone
cartilage
a strong and smooth substance made up of “chondrocytes,” or specialized cartilage cells, that functions to cover and protect bones and nerves and forms the structural component of some body parts like the ear and nose
osteoblast
a type of bone cell that creates bone tissue
osteoclast
a type of bone cell that breaks down bone tissue
osteocyte
a bone cell
endochondral ossification
one of the two essential processes during fetal development of the mammalian skeletal system by which bone tissue is created; it creates bone from a cartilage model
epiphyseal plate
also called the growth plate; a thin layer of cartilage that lies between the epiphyses and metaphysis, and is where the growth of long bones takes place during childhood
metaphysis
the neck portion of a long bone between the epiphysis and the diaphysis. It contains the growth plate, the part of the bone that grows during childhood, and as it grows it ossifies near the diaphysis and the epiphyses
intramembranous ossification
the process by which some bones, such as the skull bones, are formed; they are formed by calcification of fibrous membranes
fontanels
the soft spots on a newborn baby’s skull; they are areas of fibrous membrane that have not yet fully ossified
axial skeleton
the bones of the skull, spine, and chest and the hyoid bone in the neck
appendicular skeleton
the bones of the upper extremities (shoulder, pectoral girdles, arms, wrists, and hands) and the lower extremities (hip, pelvic girdles, legs, ankles, and feet)
osteoporosis
a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both