W2 - Skeletal System Introduction Flashcards
LO1: Describe the main functions of the skeletal system (what is it made of)
Ligaments
Made of dense regular connective tissue. They connect the bones and provide support for the joints.
Cartilage
more flexible than ligament or bone and it is found at articulating bone surfaces as well as in the costal cartilages, intervertebral discs and structures such as the external nose, larynx and trachea.
Bone
Made of connective tissue reinforced with calcium and specialised bone cells
LO1: Describe the main functions of the skeletal system (functions)
Support
Bones form a framework that supports the body and cradles its soft organs. For example, the lower limb bones act as pillars to support the trunk when we stand. The skeleton supports our body weight.
Protection
Bones protect our internal organs. For example, the fused bones of skull protect the brain and the thoracic cage protects the thoracic organs such as the lungs and heart.
Movement
Skeletal muscles attach to bones and use them as levers to move the body and its parts. We can walk, breathe, speak, grasp objects etc.
Mineral and growth factor storage
Bone is a reservoir for minerals such as calcium and phosphate. The stored minerals are continuously released into the bloodstream for distribution around the body. Bones also store growth factors.
Blood cell formation
Most blood cell formation (haematopoiesis) occurs in the marrow cavities of certain bones.
Triglyceride (fat) storage
Fat is stored in bone cavities and represents a source of stored energy for the body.
LO2: Classify bones on the basis of shape (bone types)
Long, short, flat, sesamoid, irregular
LO2: Classify bones on the basis of shape (long bones)
Long bones are significantly longer than they are wide. It is about the shape and not the actual size of the bones. Long bones have a shaft and two ends (proximal and distal). All limb bones, except the patella and the wrist and ankle bones, are long bones. Some examples include the humerus, radius, femur, tibia and phalanges.
LO2: Classify bones on the basis of shape (flat bones)
Flat bones are thin and flat. Some examples include the sternum, ribs and scapula.
LO2: Classify bones on the basis of shape (irregular bones)
Irregular bones have many different shapes. Some examples include the vertebrae and the hip bones.
LO2: Classify bones on the basis of shape (short bones)
Short bones include the carpal bones of the hands that allow movement of the wrist, and the tarsal bones of the feet that allow movement of the foot. Short bones are shaped roughly as a cube and contain mostly spongy bone.
LO3: Identify and name principle bony markings (projections that help to form joints)
Head
Bony expansion carried on a narrow neck
Condyle
Rounded articular projection
Ramus
Arm-like or branch-like bar of bone
Facet
Smooth, nearly flat articular surface
LO3: Identify and name principle bony markings (Projections for muscle and ligament attachment)
Iliac Crest: The superior border of the hip bone, crucial for muscle attachment (A narrow but prominent ridge of bone)
Gluteal Line: A rough line on the hip bone where gluteal muscles attach (narrow ridge of a bone, less prominent than a crest)
Ischial Spine: A pointed projection for ligament attachment in the pelvis (sharp, slender, often pointed projection)
Ischial Tuberosity: The “sit bone,” supporting body weight when sitting (large rounded, usually rough projection)
Pubic Tubercle: A small rounded projection on the pubis, an anchor for the inguinal ligament (Small rounded projection or process)
Spinous Process: (A bony prominence; in this case it is a sharp pointy process on a thoracic vertebra, thus called ‘spinous process’)
Lateral Epicondyle (Femur): A raised area on or above a condyle; ‘epi’ means ‘above’
Lateral Condyle (Femur): A rounded surface at the knee joint, aiding in articulation with the tibia.
LO3: Identify and name principle bony markings (define bone markings)
Bone markings are projections, depressions, and openings found on the surface of bones that function as sites of muscle, ligament, and tendon attachment, as joint surfaces, and as openings for the passage of blood vessels and nerves.
LO2: Classify bones on the basis of shape (sesamoid bones)
A special type of short bones is sesamoid bones. They are embedded in the tendon of a muscle. A good example is the patella, which is a part of the knee joint. It sits within the tendon of the quadriceps femoris muscle, enhancing the tendon’s strength and ability to transmit forces and aligning its direction of pull.
LO3: Identify and name principle bony markings (depressions and openings)
Notch
Indentation at the edge of a structure
Groove
Furrow
Foramen
Round or oval opening
Sinus
Cavity within a bone, filled with air and lined with mucous membrane
Fossa
Shallow, basin-like depression
Meatus
Canal-like passageway
Fissure
Narrow, slit-like opening
Aperture (pyriform meaning pear shaped)
Opening, hole
LO4: Describe how the skeleton is classified into axial and appendicular divisions
The bones of the axial skeleton form the long axis of the body and are involved in the protection of internal organs as well as movements of the neck and trunk.
The bones of the appendicular skeleton are the bones of the limbs. They are attached to the appendicular skeleton and their prime function is to facilitate movement.
