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 bone

Long bones Flat bone

 Patella
Pneumatic bone Irregular bone Sesamoid bone

Sutural bones
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 Shoulder
Sternum girdle
Ribs
Vertebrae

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

Anterior view Posterior view
 Metacarpal Carpal bones
head bones

neck
Radius

Ulna

Phalanges
head

Styloid
Styloid Wrist & Hand
process
process
Radius & Ulna
 APPENDICULAR SKELETON
Hip bone
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)
 Head

Neck

Greater & lesser

trochanters
Acetabulum

Pubis
Femoral
condyles

Hip bone (lateral view)

Femur (posterior view)

 Tibial
condyles

Tibial
tuberosity
Tibia
Fibula

Metatarsal
bones

phalanges
Tibia & fibula Foot
Anterior view
 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 Parietal bone
Occipital bone Temporal bone
Ethmoid bone Maxilla
Sphenoid bone Zygomatic bone
Vomer Nasal bone
Mandible Lacrimal bone
Palatine bone
Inferior nasal concha
 Features of the Skull

Norma Frontalis, shows:

Frontal bone
Nasal bones
Maxillae
Zygomatic bones
Orbit opening
Mandible

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

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

Temporal lines

Zygomatic
bone

Zygomatic
arch External auditory
meatus
Norma occipitalis, shows:
Occipital bone
Parietal bones
External occipital protuberence & crest
Nuchal lines

Parietal bones

External occipital
protuberence
Occipital bone

Superior & inferior

Nuchal lines
Norma basalis externa, shows:
Alveolar arch Hard palate
Hard palate
Posterior nasal apertures Alveolar arch
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
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 Ethmoid bone
Jugular foramen
Foramen magnum
Foramen rotundum
Sphenoid bone
Foramen ovale

Foramen lacerum

Temporal bone
Foramen
magnum

Jugular foramen

Occipital bone
 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 Large & kidney-shaped
articular demifacets

Spinous Short & bifid Long & directed down Short & thick
process

Transverse Show a foramen Have articular facets Long & slender

processes transversarium

Vertebral Large & triangular Small & circular Large & circular
foramen
 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.