SKELETAL SYSTEM LECTURE

System consists of bones and cartilages

 Two groups= axial & appendicular skeletons

 Appendicular= upper & lower limbs

 Axial= bones of skull, neck, sternum, ribs, vertebrae & pelvis

Cartilage

 Avascular type of connective tissue & Nourished by diffusion

 Consists of extracellular fibers embended in a matrix containing cells localized in small

cavities

 The amount and type of fibres determine the type of cartilage

 Areas subjected to stress have higher fiber amount and are less elastic

FUNCTION

 Growth and development of long bones

 Support soft tissues

 Provide smooth, glidding surfaces for bone articulation at joints

Types

 Hyaline= commonest, moderate fibers. E.g articulator surfaces of bones

 Elastic=matrix consist of large numbers of elastic along with some collagen fibers-eg external
year

 Fibrocartilge= matrix contains large numbers of collagen and limited cells and ground
substances. E.g intervetebral disc

Bones

 Is a calcified connective tissue and forms the bulky of skeletal system

 Consists of intercellular calcified matrix which also contains collagen fibers and several types of
cells.
  Bones are vascular and innervated. Each bone is supplied by a single artery, a branch of
adjacent artery that enters and supplies the spongy bones, bone marrow and the inner layer of
compact bone

 Periostium= a fibrous membrane covering the surface of compact and is innervated and supplied
with blood

Types of bones=2

 compact bones= dense bone forming the outer shell of all bones and
surrounds spongy bone
 spongy bones= consists of spicules that encloses cavities containing bone
marrow

Classification of bones

Bones may be classified according to shape: long, short, flat, irregular and
sessamoid

Long bones

Long bones are those in which the length exceeds the breadth and thickness. They
are tubular in shape. They include the clavicle, humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia,
and fibula.

Short bones.

Short bones occur in the wrist and ankle joints and consist of spongy bone and
marrow enclosed by a thin layer of compact bone. They are cuboidal in shape.

Flat bones.

Flat bones include the ribs, sternum, scapulae, and many bones of the cranial
vault. They consist of two layers of compact bone plate with intervening spongy
bone marrow

Irregular Bones.
They occur in various shapes and do not readily fit into other groups. They include
some bones of cranial base, facial bones, the vertebrae, and the hip bones.

Sessamoid bones.

They are round/oval in shape and they are found in association with tendons. Eg.
patella

Functions of the skeleton

The skeleton serves 5 major functions.

Support
 The skeleton provides the framework which supports the body and maintains its shape.

Movement
 The joints between bones permit movement, some allowing a wider range of movement than
others, e.g. the ball and socket joint allows a greater range of movement than the pivot joint at the
neck. Movement is powered by skeletal muscles, which are attached to the skeleton at
various sites on bones.

[Protection

The skeleton protects many vital organs:

 The skull protects the brain. The vertebrae protect the spinal cord.

Blood cell production

 The skeleton is the site of haematopoiesis, which takes place in the bone marrow.
Storage
Bone matrix can store calcium and is involved in calcium metabolism, and bone marrow can
store iron and is involved in iron metabolism.

.
Types:

Vertebral Column
The spinal column (or vertebral column) extends from the skull to the pelvis and is made up of 33
individual bones termed vertebrae. The vertebrae are separated from each other by cartilages known
as intervertebral disc

Brae Body Area Abbreviation

Cervical 7 Neck C1 – C7
Thoracic 12 Chest T1 – T12
Lumbar 5 Lumber L1 – L5
Sacrum 5 (fused) Pelvis S1 – S5
Coccyx 4 (fused) Tailbone None

Atlas (C1)

The Atlas is the first cervical vertebra and therefore abbreviated C1

Axis (C2)
The Axis is the second cervical vertebra or C2.

The vertebrae column protects the spinal cord and also transmits the weight of the head and trunk to the lower limbs
Anterior View

1. Skull
2. Mandible
3. Hyoid Bone
4. Cervical Vertebra
5. Clavicle
6. Sternum
7. Costal Cartilage
8. Ribs
9. Scapula
10. Humerus
11. Radius
12. Ulna
13. Carpal Bones
14. Metacarpal Bones
15. Phalanges of Fingers
16. Thoracic Vertebra
17. Lumbar Vertebra
18. Sacrum
19. Os Coxa
20. Femur
21. Patella
22. Tibia
23. Fibula
24. Tarsal Bones
25. Metatarsal Bones
26. Phalanges of Toes

RIBS

HUMAN RIB CAGE

The human rib cage, also known as the thoracic cage, is a bony and cartilaginous structure which
surrounds the thoracic cavity, forming a core portion of the human skeleton. A typical human rib cage
consists of 24 ribs, the sternum (with Xiphoid process), costal cartilages, and the 12 thoracic vertebrae

All ribs are attached in the back to the thoracic vertebrae.

Each rib consists of a head, neck, and a shaft. The head typically has two facets on its surface;
one for articulation with the corresponding vertebrae, and one for articulation with the
immediately superior vertebrae.

The upper seven true ribs(ribs, I-VII) are attached in the head to the sternum by means of
costal cartilage. Due to their elasticity they allow movement when inhaling and exhaling.

The 8th, 9th, and 10th ribs are called false ribs (ribs, VIII-X), and join with the costal
cartilages of the ribs above. The 11th and 12th are also sometimes referred to as false ribs.

The 11th and 12th ribs are known as floating ribs ( ribs, XI-XII), as they do not have any
anterior connection to the sternum.
The spaces between the ribs are known as intercostal spaces; they contain the intercostal
muscles, nerves, and arteri

A typical human rib

Human beings got 12 pairs of ribs. The ribs give protection to internal organs of
the thorax and upper abdomen. Ribs also play some role during breathing.

JOINTS

 Where skeletal elements meet is a joint

 Groups=two: SOLID AND SYNOVIAL

SOLID JOINTS

 Limited movement

 The bone elements are held together by fibrous connective tissue. The fibrous connective tissue
is either a LIGAMENT OR CARTILAGE-usually FIBROCARTILAGE

JOINTS HELD BY LIGAMENTS

 SUTURES=SUTURAL LIGAMENTS. Found in the bones of the cranium eg frontal suture between
frontal and parietal bones
  GOMPHOSES. Found between the roots of teeth and the surrounding alveolar bones. They are
called periodontal ligament and they anchor the teeth to the bones

 SYNDESMOSES. Example is interosseous membrane found between two adjacent bones eg ulnar
and radius.

FIBROCARTILAGE JOINTS

 The bones are joined by a fibrocartilage

 Are located in the midline

 Examples are1) pubic symphisis joining the two pubic bones AND intervetebral disc joining the
adjacent vertebrae; 2) SyYNCHODROSES= found in long bones during growth. Example-
GROWTH PLATE located between the head and shaft of humerus

SYNOVIAL JOINT

Characteristics

 Wider movement than solid joints

 The bone elements are separated by a cavity

 The articular surface of bones are covered by a hyaline cartilage

 There is a fibrous capsule enclosing the joint. The capsule gives support and stability to the joint

 There is a synovial membrane that lines the inner surface of the joint capsule

 There is synovial fluid produced by the synovial membrane which offers lubrication to the joint

Other features which are found in some joints

 Articular disc. Located inside the cavity and separates the joint into 2

 Presence of fat pads between the fibrous capsule and the synovial membrane

CLASSIFICATION

Synovial joints are classified according to the shape of the articular surfaces and the type of movement

TYPE OF MOVEMENT

UNIAXIAL. Make movement around one axis eg elbow joint

BIAXIAL. Movement between two axis eg wrist joint

MULTIAXIAL. Movement in more than two axis eg hip joint

TYPE OF ARTICULAR SURFACE

 PLANE/FLAT. One articular surface glids/slide on the the other surface. Eg acromial clavicular
joint. Movement is around one axis

 Ball and socket. Movement around multiple axis. Flexion, extension, adduction, abduction and
circumduction. Example hip joint

 Hinge. Movement around one axis horizontal to the joint. Flexion and extension. Example elbow
joint and interpharangeal joints

 Condylar. Movement around two axis. Flexion, extension, adduction, abduction and circumduc-
tion. Example wrist joint

 Bicondylar. Two condlyes participate in articulation. Example knee joint. Flexion and extention
with minimal adduction, abduction

 Sandle. Articular surfaces got sandle shape. Movement in two axis. Example carpo-metacarpal
joint. Flexion, extension, adduction, abduction and circumduction

 Pivot. Movement around one axis longitudinal to the shaft of the bone. Can rotate. Example at-
lanto-axis joint.