L03 - Bone and cartilage

Question 1

What are the components of the muscoskeletal system?

Answer 1

• Skeleton: bone and cartilage
• Muscles and tendons
• Ligaments

Question 2

What are the functions of the skeleton?

Answer 2

• Gives body its shape
• Supports weight of body
• Provides sites for muscle attachment, allowing movement
• Protects delicate tissues and organs
• Makes blood (haemopoiesis)
• Stores calcium and phosphorus

Question 3

Characteristics of cartilage?

Answer 3

• Stiff, load bearing
• Cells embedded in a matrix of proteoglycans and collagen (chondrocytes/ blasts)
• Virtually avascular
• No nerves
• Resists compression, tension and shearing

Question 4

Characteristics of bone?

Answer 4

• Hard, resilient
• Cells embedded in a mineralised matrix (osteoblasts/clasts/cytes)
• Highly vascular
• Extremely strong

Question 5

What are the different types of cartilage?

Answer 5

1. Hyaline cartilage
2. Elastic cartilage
3. Fibrocartilage

Question 6

What are the different types of bone?

Answer 6

1. Compact (cortical)

2. Trabecular (cancellous/ spongy)