Bones + Features

• Axial skeleton


  • Composed of skull, spinal column and rib cage
  • Major role is protecting specific areas of the nervous system and important visceral organs located in the thorax
• Structure


  Complements the function
• Human skull


  • 22 bones
  • Divided into cranial and facial bones
• Cranial bones


  • Protect the brain and special senses
  • Joined by suture joints
• Facial bones


  • Surround the oral and nasal cavities
  • Attachment for facial muscles
• Superior aspect of the skull

  Has more markings than the inferior aspect
• The orbit (eye socket) is composed of 7 bones
• Cranial fossae


  • Three paired
  • Form the base of the skull
  • Fit the contours of the lobes of the brain
• Sphenoid and ethmoid bones

  • Deep with specialised structures
  • Specialised structures confer specific functions
• Vertebral column


  • Bone
  • Cartilage
  • Ligaments
  • Segmented structure
  • Strong
  • Flexible
• Spinal curvatures


  1. Cervical

  2. Thoracic

  3. Lumbar

  4. Pelvic
• When do the spinal curvatures appear?
• Vertebrae


  • Classified as cervical, thoracic or lumbar
  • Individual features
• Intervertebral discs


  Contribute to the flexibility & shock absorption of the spine
• Herniated disc


  What is it?
• First and second vertebrae

  • Specialised
  • Allow rotation and nodding of the head
• How does the structure of these vertebrae allow these movements?
• Sacrum


  • Forms the posterior aspect of the pelvis
  • Houses the distal end of the spinal cord
  • Composed of fused vertebrae
• Rib classifications


  • True
  • False
  • Floating
• Movement of the ribs

  • Affects the dimensions of the thoracic cage
  • Changes its volume
• Why would the change in thoracic cage volume be important?
• ·       The upper limb is attached to the axial skeleton via the pectoral girdle.

  ·       The pectoral girdle is composed of scapula and clavicle.

  ·       How does the scapula articulate with the clavicle?

  ·       How is the scapula attached to the axial skeleton?

  ·       The humerus articulates with the glenoid cavity of the scapula.

  ·       The forearm is composed of the ulna and radius. Which is medial and which is lateral?

  o   The radius articulates with the carpals.

  o   Clinical Application: What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
• Pelvic girdle


  • Demonstrates unity of form and function
• Coxal bones


  Articulate with the axial skeleton via the sacroiliac joint
• Coxal bones


  Composed of 3 fused bones: ilium, pubis and ischium
• Structure uniting the coxal bones anteriorly


  Pubis
• Head of the femur

  Articulates with the acetabulum
• Lower limb


  Composed of tibia and fibula
• Weight bearing bone in the lower limb

  Tibia
• Tibia


  Articulates with the second largest tarsal bone called the talus
• Frontal boneFeatures:supraorbital foramenParietal boneFeatures:sagittal suturecoronal sutureTemporal boneFeatures:squamous suturezygomatic processmandibular fossaexternal acoustic meatusstyloid processOccipital boneFeatures:lambdoid sutureforamen magnumoccipital condyle
• Sphenoid boneFeatures:greater winglesser wingsella turcicasuperior orbital fissureoptic canalEthmoid boneFeatures:crista gallicribriform plateperpendicular plateolfactory foramina
• MandibleFeatures:mandibular ramusmandibular condylesmandibular foramenmental foramenalveolar marginMaxillaFeatures:palatine processalveolar marginLacrimal boneFeatures:lacrimal fossa
• paletine bone
• zygomatic bone
• nasal bones
• vomer bone
• inferior nasal concha