Skull

Question 1

Define the term neurocranium. What cell type is it derived from?

Answer 1

Neurocranium = the portion of the skull that surrounds the brain; derived from head mesoderm.

Question 2

What are the 8 bones of the neurocranium?

Answer 2

frontal ethmoid sphenoid occipital temporal (pair) parietal (pair)

Question 3

Define the term viscerocranium. What cell type is it derived from?

Answer 3

Viscerocranium = the portion of the skull that forms the bones of the face; derived from neural crest cells

Question 4

What are the 15 bones of the viscerocranium?

Answer 4

mandible ethmoid vomer maxilla (pair) inferior nasal concha (pair) zygomatic (pair) palatine (pair) nasal (pair) lacrimal (pair)

Question 5

What is the calvarium?

Answer 5

“skullcap”; top part of the skull

Question 6

What are the 6 bones of the calvarium?

Answer 6

frontal; parietal (2); occipital, temporal (2)

Question 7

What sinus is contained in the frontal bone?

Answer 7

frontal sinus

Question 8

What is the nasion?

Answer 8

the point of contact between the frontal bone and the 2 nasal bones

Question 9

What is the pterion?

Answer 9

The “H” shaped area where the frontal, parietal, sphenoid, and temporal bones meet

Question 10

What is directly underneath the pterion?

Answer 10

middle meningeal artery

Question 11

What is the clivus? What rests against it? What bones make it up?

Answer 11

The clivus is a flat area made up of the sphenoid and occipital bones that the brainstem rests against.

Question 12

What 3 foramen are part of the occipital bone?

Answer 12

hypoglossal foramen jugular foramen foramen magnum

Question 13

What passes through the jugular foramen?

Answer 13

IX, X, XI; internal jugular vein

Question 14

What passes through the hypoglossal foramen?

Answer 14

XII

Question 15

What bone houses the middle & inner ear spaces and the acoustic meatus?

Answer 15

temporal bone

Question 16

What 2 bones are part of the jugular foramen?

Answer 16

occipital, temporal

Question 17

Through what hole do the branchial fibers of VII pass, and in what bone is this hole?

Answer 17

stylomastoid foramen of the temporal bone

Question 18

What rests right on top of the cribriform plate?

Answer 18

olfactory bulbs

Question 19

What is the vertical top part of the ethmoid bone called?

Answer 19

crista galli

Question 20

What are the 5 parts of the sphenoid bone?

Answer 20

Greater wings (2) Lesser wings (2) sella turcica

Question 21

What structure lies in the sella turcica?

Answer 21

pituitary gland

Question 22

What vertical bone is directly beneath the perpedicular plate (like a continuation of the perpendicular plate)? What is the purpose of this bone?

Answer 22

vomer - forms part of the nasal septum

Question 23

What 3 structures does the palatine bone participate in?

Answer 23

1. forms a small part of the nasal septum 2. forms the posterior third of the hard palate 3. forms the posterior lateral wall of the nasal cavities

Question 24

What small bone is on the medial wall of the orbit? What duct runs along here?

Answer 24

lacrimal bones - lacrimal duct

Question 25

What is the nasion?

Answer 25

Where the two nasal bones meet with the frontal bone

Question 26

What bone forms the prominence of the cheek?

Answer 26

zygomatic bone

Question 27

What is the only synovial joint of the skull?

Answer 27

temporomandibular joint (mandibular bone and temporal bone) - articulation of the jaw

Question 28

What 2 ligaments limit the opening of the jaw?

Answer 28

stylomandibular ligament sphenomandibular ligament

Question 29

What are the major sutures of the skull?

Answer 29

sagittal (two parietal bones)

coronal (parietal bones and frontal bone)

lambdoid (parietal bones and occipital bone)

Question 30

What are the 4 vertices of the skull?

Answer 30

asterion, lambda, pterion, bregma

Question 31

Name 3 fossae of the skull.

Answer 31

temporal fossa - superior to zygomatic arch

infratemporal fossa - inferior to zygomatic arch

pterygopalatine fossa - narrow space between palatine bones and sphenoid bones

Question 32

What attaches to the styloid process?

Answer 32

1. stylohyoid ligament
2. stylomandibular ligament
3. styloglossus muscle (hypoglossal nerve)
4. stylohyoid muscle (facial nerve)
5. stylopharyngeus muscle (glossopharyngeal nerve)