Department of Biological Sciences

Bio 261

The Skeletal System

 SKELETAL SYSTEM
• COMPOSED OF:
- Bones
- Cartilage
- Joints
- Ligaments
 Skeletal System Partitions
• The human adult skeleton is made up of 206 bones

• Axial division (80 bones):

• Skull and associated bones

o Auditory ossicles
o Hyoid bones
• Vertebral column
• Thoracic cage (Ribs+ sternum)

Axial Skeleton
• Appendicular division (126 bones):

- Upper limbs
- Lower limbs
- What connects those limbs with
the axial skeleton
- Pectoral girdle
- Pelvic girdle

Appendicular Skeleton
 The Axial Skeleton
• Composed of 80 bones

• Located along a vertical line, the

longitudinal axis of the body

• Its bones support and protect the

organs of the head, neck, and torso

• It includes:
• the skull
• hyoid bone
• vertebral column
• thoracic cage (rib cage)
 The Axial Skeleton
• Composed of 80 bones

• Located along a vertical line, the

longitudinal axis of the body

• Its bones support and protect the

organs of the head, neck, and torso

• It includes:
• the skull
• hyoid bone
• vertebral column
• thoracic cage (rib cage)
 The Skull
• Major bones include:
• Cranial bones
• Form a bony cavity that protects
the brain and organs of hearing

• Facial bones
• Provide the shape of the face,
house the teeth, and provide
attachments for all the muscles of
facial expression
Total
MajorofCranial
8 bones: 4 single bones and 2 paired:
Bones
1 frontal bone (anterior portion of cranial cavity)
1 occipital bone (posterior wall of cranial cavity)
1 sphenoid bone (floor of cranial cavity – not to
memorize)
1 ethmoid bone (floor and anterior wall of cranial
cavity – not to memorize)
2 parietal bones (superior lateral walls of cranial
cavity)
2 temporal bones (inferior lateral walls of cranial
Cranial Bones
1 frontal bone (anterior portion of cranial cavity)

Frontal Bone
1 occipital bone (posterior wall of cranial cavity)

Occipital

Lateral View
2 parietal bones (superior lateral walls of cranial cavity)

Parietal Bones
2 parietal bones (superior lateral walls of cranial cavity)

Parietal Bones
2 temporal bones (inferior lateral walls of cranial cavity;
house organs of inner ear)

Temporal Bones
2 temporal bones (inferior lateral walls of cranial cavity;
house organs of inner ear)

Temporal
 Facial Bones
Total of 14 bones: 6 paired and 2 single bones:

• 2 maxillae (fused upper jaw bones)

• 2 palatine bones (posterior part of hard palate)
• 2 inferior nasal conchae (lateral wall of nasal cavity – not to memorize)
• 2 zygomatic bones (cheek bones)
• 2 lacrimal bones (portion of orbit near nasal bones)
• 2 nasal bones (bridge of nose)
• 1 vomer (floor of the nasal cavity and inferior portion of nasal septum)
• 1 mandible (lower jaw bone)
Facial Bones
2 maxillae (fused upper jaw bones)

Maxilla
2 palatine bones (posterior part of hard palate)
2 zygomatic bones (cheek bones)

Zygoma
2 lacrimal bones (portion of orbit near nasal bones)
2 nasal bones (bridge of nose)

Nasal Bone
1 vomer (floor of the nasal cavity and inferior portion of nasal septum)

Vomer
1 mandible (lower jaw bone)

Mandible
 The Axial Skeleton
• Composed of 80 bones

• Located along a vertical line, the

longitudinal axis of the body

• Its bones support and protect the

organs of the head, neck, and torso

• It includes:
• the skull
• hyoid bone
• vertebral column
• thoracic cage (rib cage)
 The Hyoid Bone

• The only bone that does not

articulate (connect) with
another bone

• Serves as a moveable base for

the tongue, and other muscle
Not to
attachments memorize

Figure 5.12
Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings
 Sutures

• Sutures – Immovable joints that join skull bones together

• Form boundaries between skull bones

✓ Fontanels – usually ossify by 2 years of age

 The Axial Skeleton
• Composed of 80 bones

• Located along a vertical line, the

longitudinal axis of the body

• Its bones support and protect the

organs of the head, neck, and torso

• It includes:
• the skull
• hyoid bone
• vertebral column
• thoracic cage (rib cage)
 Axial Skeleton: The Vertebral Column

• Protects spinal cord and provides attachment for back and

abdominal muscles

• Consists of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae, the sacrum and

coccyx
 The Spinal Column

• 7 cervical vertebrae
• 12 thoracic vertebrae
• 5 lumbar vertebrae
"breakfast at 7, lunch at 12, and dinner at 5"

• 1 sacrum (5 fused sacral vertebra)

• 1 coccyx (4 fused coccygeal vertebra)
• TOTAL 33
21-76
 The Vertebral Column

• Vertebrae are separated by

intervertebral discs made of
cartilage
• The spine has a normal S
curvature
• Each type of vertebra is given a
name according to its location

Figure 5.14

Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings

Intervertebral Discs
 The Rib Cage
• Sternum
• Breastbone
• Forms the front middle portion of
the rib cage
• Joins with the clavicles and most
ribs
• Xiphoid process
• Cartilaginous tip
 The Rib Cage (cont.)
• 12 pairs of ribs • False ribs
• All are attached posteriorly to • Rib pairs 8, 9, and 10
thoracic vertebrae • Attach to the costal cartilage of
rib pair 7
• True ribs
• Floating ribs
• First seven pairs of ribs
• Rib pairs 11 and 12
• Attach to sternum by costal
cartilage • Do not attach anteriorly to any
structure
 The Appendicular Skeleton

- Composed of 126 bones

- Consists of:
- Upper limbs
- Lower limbs
- What connects those limbs
with the axial skeleton
- Pectoral girdle (shoulder)
- Pelvic girdle (hip bone)
Appendicular Skeleton
 The Appendicular Skeleton

- Composed of 126 bones

- Consists of:
- Upper limbs
- Lower limbs
- What connects those limbs
with the axial skeleton
- Pectoral girdle (shoulder)
- Pelvic girdle (hip bone)
Appendicular Skeleton: Bones of the Upper Limbs and
Pectoral Girdles
• Pectoral girdles or
shoulders
• Clavicles (collar bones)
• Scapulae (shoulder blades)

• Upper limb or arm bones

• Arm bone: Humerus
• Forearm bones:
• Radius (lateral)
• Ulna (medial)
Appendicular Skeleton: Bones of the Upper Limbs and
Pectoral Girdles (cont.)
• Hand
• 8 carpals (wrist bones)
per hand
• 5 metacarpals per hand
• 14 phalanges (finger
bones) per hand
• 3 in each finger
• 2 in each thumb
 The Appendicular Skeleton

- Composed of 126 bones

- Consists of:
- Upper limbs
- Lower limbs
- What connects those limbs
with the axial skeleton
- Pectoral girdle (shoulder)
- Pelvic girdle (hip bone)
Appendicular Skeleton: Bones of the Lower Limbs and
Pelvic Girdles

• Pelvic Girdles or Hipbones

• Coxal bones form the pelvic
girdle
• Ilium
• Ischium
• Pubis or pubic bones
• Joined with the pubic
symphysis
Appendicular Skeleton: Bones of the Lower Limbs and
Pelvic Girdles (cont.)
• Bones of lower limbs
• Femur (thigh bone)
• Longest bone!
• Patella (knee cap)
• Leg bones
• Tibia (medial)
• Weight-bearing
• Fibula (lateral)
• Muscle attachment
Appendicular Skeleton: Bones of the Lower Limbs and
Pelvic Girdles (cont.)
• Bones of the foot • Metatarsals
• Tarsals • Phalanges
• Calcaneous (heel bone)
• Talus (knee cap)
Joints: Junctions Between Bones
 Joints: Structural Classification

1. Fibrous joints (synarthrosis: no movement)

• Bones are joined by fibrous tissue, namely

dense fibrous connective tissue
• No joint cavity is present
• Examples
• Sutures – fibrous joints in the skull
• Teeth in sockets
2. Cartilaginous joints (amphiarthrosis: allow slight movement)

• A type of joint where the bones are entirely joined by cartilage, either
hyaline cartilage or fibrocartilage.
• These joints generally allow slight movement.
• Examples:
• Intervertebral discs
• Pubic symphisis
3. Synovial joints

• Covered with hyaline cartilage

• Held together by a fibrous joint capsule lined
with synovial membrane
• Secretes synovial fluid so bones move easily
against each other
• Freely movable (diarthrosis)
• Bones are also held together through tough,
cord-like structures called ligaments
Joints: Movements at Synovial Joints
A- Hinge

• A hinge joint allows extension and flexion of an appendage.

• Found at
• Elbows
• Knees
B- Ball and Socket:

• A ball and socket joint allows for radial movement in almost any
direction.
• They are found in:
• hips
• shoulders
C- Gliding:

• In a gliding or plane joint, bones slide past each other.

• Found in:
• mid-carpal joints
• mid-tarsal joints
Joints: Types of Movement
Angular
• Flexion and Extension
 Joints: Types of Movement
Angular
• Abduction, Adduction and Circumduction
Joints: Types of Movement
Angular
• Rotation
Joints: Types of Movement
Special Movements
• Elevation and Depression
Joints: Types of Movement
Special Movements
• Protraction and Retraction
Joints: Types of Movement
Special Movements
• Pronation and Supination
Joints: Types of Movement
Special Movements
• Foot Movements:
• Inversion
• Eversion
• Dorsiflexion
• Plantar Flexion