Describe the anatomy and structure of bone

o Anatomical position: When body is standing erect, eyes looking forward, arms at the
sides of the body and palms and toes directed forward
o 4 categories of bone
Long bones: Longer than they are wide (most of bones of upper and lower
limbs)
Short bones: Approx. as broad as they are long (bones of wrist and ankle)
Flat bones: Relatively thin, flattened shape (skull bones, ribs, scapulae
shoulder blades, sternum)
Irregular bones: Shapes that do not readily fit into other 3 categories
(vertebrae and facial bones)
o Structure of bone (long)

Identify the bones of the axial and appendicular skeletons and state their functions
o Axial Skeleton
Skull
22 bones of skull divided into those of braincase (encloses cranial
cavity, immediately surround and protect brain) and face (form
structure of face)
Vertebral column (backbone), Central axis of the skeleton
5 regions
o 7 cervical vertebrae
o 12 thoraic vertebrae
o 5 lumbar vertebrae
o 1 sacral bone
o 1 coccyx bone
5 major functions:
1. Supports weight of the head and trunk
2. Protects the spinal cord
3. Allows spinal nerves to exit the spinal cord
4. Provides a site for muscle attachment
5. Permits movement of the head and trunk
Ribs and sternum
Rib cage: Protects the vital organs within the thorax and prevents
the collapse of the thorax during respiration
Sternum: protection of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels from
physical damage
o Appendicular Skeleton
Pectoral girdle
Contains clavicle which is first bone to begin ossification in the fetus
Pelvic Girdle
Place where lower limbs attach to the body
Upper limb (bones of arm, forearm, wrist and hand)

Lower limb (bones of thigh, leg, ankle and foot)
Describe and state the structure of a typical vertebra
Feature Description
Vertebral body Bony cylinder with flat ends
Vertebral arch Posterior arch of bone above the vertebral
body
Vertebral forearm Hole through which the spinal cord runs
Spinous process Posterior projection of the vertebral arch,
provides attachment for ligament and muscle
Transverse process Provides surfaces for attachment of muscle
Articular facet Surface for articulation between vertebrae

Describe at least one unique characteristic of vertebrae, including the atlas and axis, in
each region of the vertebral column
Region of Vertebral Column Type of Vertebrae
Neck Cervical Have very small bodies,
except for the atlas (no
body)
Relatively delicate
Fractures are more
common in this area than in
other regions
Chest Thoracic Posess long, this spinous
processes that are directed
inferiourly
Have extra articular facets
on their lateral surfaces
that articulate with the ribs
Abdominal Lumbar Have large, thick bodies and
heavy, rectangular
transverse and spinous
processes
Hip Sacral (Sacrum bone) Five sacral vertebrae are
fused into one single bone
called sacrm.
Tail Coccygeal Usually consists of four
more-or-less fused
vertebrae.
Consists of extremely
reduced vertebral bodies,
woithout the foranima or
processes, usually fused
into a single bone
The coccyx is easily broken
when a person falls by
sitting down hard on a solid
surface or in women during
childbirth

Look at the main structures and functions of skeletal system

Look at bone as living tissue how it forms and remodelling
o Bone as living tissue
LN: Composition: 25% organic collagen, 50% inorganic calcium and
phosphate, 25% water. Cell types: Osteoblasts, Osteocytes, Osteoclasts
o How Bone Forms
Bones grow through the process of appositional growth the formation of
new bone on the surface of older bone or cartilage
Osteoblasts beneath the periosteum lay down bone to form ridges around a
blood vessel. The blood vessel lies in a groove between the ridges
The groove is transformed into a tunnel when the bone built on the adjacent
ridges meets. The periosteum of the groove becomes the endosteum of the
tunnel
Osteoblasts from the endosteum lay down bone to form a new concentric
lamella
The production of additional concentric lamellae fills in the tunnel and
completes the formation of a new osteon
TB: As osteoblasts deposit new bone matrix on the surface of bones between
the periosteum and the existing bone matrix, the bone increases in width, or
diameter. Bone growth occurs by the deposition of new bone lamellae onto
existing bone or connective tissue
LN: Bone formation ossification, in the embryo (3 months), modelled on
connective tissue
Intramembranous ossification
 Endochondral ossification

o Bone remodelling (occurs in all bone, and is responsible for changes in bone shape,
adjustment of bone to stress, bone repair and calcium ion regulation in the body
fluids)
TB: Involves the removal of existing bone by osteoclasts and the deposition
of new bone by osteoblasts. A long bone increases in length and diameter as
new bone is deposited on the outer surface and growth occurs at the
epiphyseal plate. At the same time, bone is removed from the inner,
medullary surface of the bone.

Identify bones of the axial and appendicular skeleton

Types of articulation (bone to bone)
Define anatomical terms

Describe the anatomy and structure of bone

Explain how bone is formed
Identify the bones of the axial and appendicular skeletons and state their functions
Describe and state the structure of a typical vertebra and describe at least one unique
characteristic of vertebrae, including the atlas and axis in each region of the vertebral
column

Anatomical Terms and Relationships

Superior
Inferior
Anterior (Ventral)
Posterior (Dorsal)
Medial
Lateral
Proximal
Distal

The function of the osteocytes is to receive nutrients and

eliminate wastes through a system of canals containing blood
vessels connected to the circulation. Substances diffuse in and out of the
osteocytes through the canaliculi.
The function of osteoblasts is the production of bone matrix.
The function of osteoclasts is the removal or resorption of bone.
The function of the large hole in each vertebra is to allow vertical passage
of the spinal cord.
The function of the bony projections on the vertebrae is to allow for
articulations with ribs (thoracic vertebrae) and also serve as attachment
points for ligaments/muscles and muscles/ligaments.
A pad of cartilage between the vertebrae which allows slight movement of
the vertebral column is called the intervertebral disc. It is responsible
for bearing gravitational pressures and other major forms of stress that
are transmitted through the vertebral column i.e. cushioning the
adjacent vertebrae.
The vertebrae are prevented from moving any large distance by the
superior and inferior articulating facets and by ligaments joining the
vertebrae.
Each spinal nerve passes through a space between adjacent vertebrae.
The space is called the intervertebral foramen and there is one on each
side of the vertebral column.