SKELETAL SYSTEM

The skeletal system is formed of bones and cartilages

The bones are connected by joints to form the skeleton.

Functions of bones
They form the skeleton which gives the body
shape and form
They provide attachment for muscles & ligaments
They allow movements of the body
They provide protection for vital organs
They provide storage places for calcium salts
Production of blood cells in the red bone marrow

Types of Bone (according to structure)

The bone is a type of connective tissue
It is hard because of its high content of
calcium salts
There are 2 types of bone tissue:
Compact bone: which is dense & hard. It
forms the shaft of long bones, and outer
shell of other bones.
It consists of cylindrical units of closely
packed lamellae (Haversian system)
Cancellous (spongy) bone: a delicate
bony meshwork that fills the inside of
bones.

Compact

Types of Bones (according to shape)

Long bones: these are longer than wide, and are found in limbs, e.g.
humerus.
Short bones: they are cuboidal in shape, and found in the hand and
foot (carpal & tarsal bones)
Flat bones: thin and flattened, e.g. scapula & skull bones
Irregular bones: they are irregular in shape, e.g. vertebrae
Pneumatic bones: they contain air-filled cavities, e.g. ethmoid bone
Sesamoid bones: embedded within certain tendons, e.g. patella
Sutural bones: found between the skull sutures
Remember!!

Metatarsal & metacarpal bones and phalanges are

considered long bones

Short bones
Long bones

Long bone
Flat bone

Pneumatic bone

Sutural bones

Irregular bone

Patella
Sesamoid bone

Features of Long Bones: Long bones consist of a shaft and 2 ends

Shaft (Diaphysis):
This is the tubular part of the long bone. It is formed of compact bone and
contains a central cavity called medullary or bone marrow cavity.
The shaft is lined by a membrane called endosteum and covered by a vascular
membrane called periosteum
The periosteum contains osteoblasts and causes the increase in width of the
bones, it is also needed for repair of bone fractures.
Ends (Epiphysis):
These are the expanded ends of the long bone.
They are formed of cancellous bone covered by a thin layer of compact bone.

Note!! the diaphysis is separated from the epiphysis by the epiphyseal cartilage
The Metaphysis: is the part of the diaphysis adjacent to the epiphyseal line

SKELETON
Axial skeleton:
Skull
Sternum
Ribs
Vertebrae

Appendicular skeleton:
Bones of upper limb & Shoulder girdle
Bones of lower limb & Pelvic girdle

Shoulder
girdle

APPENDICULAR SKELETON

Skeleton of the Upper Limb

Shoulder girdle: 2 bones
Clavicle, anteriorly
Scapula, posteriorly
Upper arm, one bone
Humerus
Forearm, 2 bones
Radius, laterally
Ulna, medially
Hand, formed of:
Carpus (8 bones)
Metacarpus (5 bones)
Phalanges (3 in each finger, except the
thumb which contains 2 phalanges)

Coracoid process

spine

acromion

acromion
head

Greater & lesser

tuberosities

capitulum

trochlea

Scapula & Humerus

Anterior view

Scapula & Humerus

Posterior view

Metacarpal
bones

head

Carpal bones

head

Styloid
process

Styloid
process

Radius & Ulna

Phalanges

Ulna

Radius

neck

Wrist & Hand

APPENDICULAR SKELETON

Skeleton of the Lower Limb

Pelvic girdle 1 bone
Hip bone
Thigh 1 bone
Femur
Leg 2 bones
Fibula, laterally
Tibia, medially
Foot formed of:
Tarsus (7 bones)
Metatarsus (5 bones)
Phalanges (3 in each toe, except the big
toe which contains 2 phalanges)

Hip bone

Head

u
i
l

Neck

Greater & lesser

trochanters
Acetabulum

Isc
m
hiu

Pubis
Femoral
condyles

Hip bone (lateral view)

Femur (posterior view)

b
sal
Tar

Tibial
condyles

Tibia

Fibula

es
on

Tibial
tuberosity

Metatarsal
bones

phalanges

Tibia & fibula

Anterior view

Foot

SKULL
The skull is formed of two parts:
Brain box: the upper & posterior part of the skull
Facial skeleton: the anterior part of the skull
The skull is made up of 22 bones
1 movable bone, the mandible
21 immovable bones articulating
by fibrous joints (sutures)

Single bones of the skull

Paired bones of the skull

Frontal bone
Occipital bone
Ethmoid bone
Sphenoid bone
Vomer
Mandible

Parietal bone
Temporal bone
Maxilla
Zygomatic bone
Nasal bone
Lacrimal bone
Palatine bone
Inferior nasal concha

Features of the Skull

Norma Frontalis, shows:
Frontal bone
Nasal bones
Maxillae
Zygomatic bones
Mandible

Orbit opening

Orbital openings
Anterior nasal aperture
Mental foramen

Anterior nasal
aperture

Mental foramen

Norma verticalis, shows:

Frontal bone
Parietal bones
Occipital bone
Coronal, sagittal and lambdoid sutures
Parietal foramen

Frontal bone

Pa
ri
et

al
bo
n

Coronal suture

Sagittal suture

Lambdoid suture

Parietal foramen
Occipital bone

Norma lateralis, shows:

Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, Occipital and Zygomatic bones
Zygomatic arch
Temporal lines & temporal fossa
External auditory meatus

Te

Zygomatic
bone

Zygomatic
arch

po
ra
l

bo

ne

Temporal lines

O
cc
bo ipi
ne ta
l

Fr
o
bo nt
ne al

Par
iet
bon al
e

External auditory
meatus

Norma occipitalis, shows:

Occipital bone
Parietal bones
External occipital protuberence & crest
Nuchal lines

Parietal

External occipital
protuberence

Superior & inferior

Nuchal lines

bones

Occipital bone

Norma basalis externa, shows:

Alveolar arch
Hard palate
Posterior nasal apertures
Foramina and canals which give
passage to structures which enter
or leave the skull
foramen ovale
foramen magnum
carotid canal
Posterior nasal
jugular foramen
aperture

Hard palate
Alveolar arch

Foramen
ovale
Carotid
canal
Foramen
magnum
Jugular
foramen

Norma basalis interna, shows

Anterior, middle & posterior cranial fossae
Frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid, temporal & occipital bones
Foramina:
Foramen rotundum
Foramen ovale
Foramen lacerum
Frontal bone
Jugular foramen
Foramen magnum

Ethmoid bone

Foramen rotundum
Sphenoid bone
Foramen ovale
Foramen lacerum

Temporal bone

Jugular foramen

Occipital bone

Foramen
magnum

Vertebral Column (Spine)

The vertebral column (spine) consists of:
7 cervical vertebrae
12 thoracic vertebrae
5 lumbar vertebrae
5 sacral vertebrae (fused together to form the sacrum)
4 coccygeal vertebrae (fused together to form the coccyx)
The vertebral column provides support for the head and trunk
It provides protection for the spinal cord

Basic Structure of a Vertebra

Body: disc shaped and anterior in position
Vertebral arch: a bony ring behind the body. It is formed of 2 pedicles and 2 laminae
Vertebral foramen: the ring bound by the vertebral arch. The vertebral canal is formed
by the succession of vertebral foramina
7 Processes: They project from the vertebral arch
A Spinous process, projects posteriorly
2 Transverse processes, one projecting on each side
2 Superior articular processes projecting up to articulate with the inferior articular
processes of the vertebra above.
2 Inferior articular processes projecting down to articulate with the superior
articular processes of the vertebra below.

Characteristics of Vertebrae
Cervical

Thoracic

Lumbar

Body

Small & oval

Heart-shaped with
articular demifacets

Large & kidney-shaped

Spinous
process

Short & bifid

Long & directed down

Short & thick

Transverse
processes

Show a foramen
transversarium

Have articular facets

Long & slender

Vertebral
foramen

Large & triangular

Small & circular

Large & circular

Foramen
transversarium

Cervical Vertebra

Bifid spine

Thoracic Vertebra

Lumbar Vertebra

1st & 2nd Cervical Vertebrae

Sacrum:
It is formed of 5 vertebrae that are fused together

Intervertebral foramina
These are notches in the upper and lower
borders of each pedicle of the vertebral
arch
Adjacent notches from an intervertebral
foramen for the passage of spinal nerves

Sternum & Ribs

The sternum is composed of 3 fused pieces
manubrium sterni
body
xiphoid process
Sternal angle: is the junction between the
manubrium and the body

Ribs
There are 12 pairs of ribs
All the ribs are attached at their posterior ends
to the vertebrae.
Anteriorly:
The upper 7 pairs (true ribs) are attached
directly to the sternum by their costal
cartilages
The 8th, 9th, and 10th ribs (false ribs) are
attached to the 7th costal cartilage.
The 11th and 12th ribs (floating ribs) have
no anterior attachment.

Basic features of ribs

Head: articulates with the thoracic vertebrae
Neck: the constriction just beyond the head
Tubercle: articulates with the transverse process of its corresponding vertebra
Angle: the sharp turn in the rib
Shaft: thin and flattened, its lower border is sharp and shows a groove for intercostal
nerves & vessels.