The skeletal system includes the bones of the skeleton and the cartilage, ligaments and other connective tissues that stabilize and interconnect the bones. There are five primary functions of this body system:
The bones in the body can be separated into six broad categories according to their shape.
Elevations or projections appear on bones where ligaments and tendons attach and where other bones articulate at joints. Depressions, grooves and tunnels indicate the path of a nerve or vessel alongside or penetrating the bone. Some of the various features of bones are described in the following table.
General Description | Anatomical Term | Definition |
---|---|---|
Process formed where tendons and ligaments attach | Crest | A prominent ridge |
Line | A linear elevation | |
Protuberance | A projection of bone | |
Spine | A projecting "spine like" part | |
Trochanter | A large, rough, blunt projection | |
Tuberocity | A small, rough, blunt projection | |
Tubercle | A small, smooth eminence | |
Processes formed where bones articulate with each other | Head | The expanded articular surface of an epiphysis. |
Condyle | A smooth, rounded articular process | |
Epicondyle | An eminence superior to a condyle | |
Malleolus | A rounded process | |
Trochlea | A spool like articular process, acts like a pulley | |
Capitulum | A small round articular head | |
Facet | A small, flat articular surface |
The process of bone formation is ossification; this is the formation on bone from other tissues. The major forms of ossification exist, endochondrial and intramembranous.
Endochondrial bone formation is the ossification of existing cartilaginous structures. During development most bones begin as cartilage frames of the final bone. This cartilage is hardened during ossification and results in the boney structures observed in an adult. This process can be described through five generalised steps.
Intramembranous bone formation is the formation of bone without a cartilage scaffold. This is the main process by which bone repair occurs, and is also used to form the bones of the face. This process can be summarised into the following.
Anatomy |
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Skeletal system |
Muscular system |
Made By |
The skeletal system includes the bones of the skeleton and the cartilage, ligaments and other connective tissues that stabilize and interconnect the bones. There are five primary functions of this body system:
The bones in the body can be separated into six broad categories according to their shape.
Elevations or projections appear on bones where ligaments and tendons attach and where other bones articulate at joints. Depressions, grooves and tunnels indicate the path of a nerve or vessel alongside or penetrating the bone. Some of the various features of bones are described in the following table.
General Description | Anatomical Term | Definition |
---|---|---|
Process formed where tendons and ligaments attach | Crest | A prominent ridge |
Line | A linear elevation | |
Protuberance | A projection of bone | |
Spine | A projecting "spine like" part | |
Trochanter | A large, rough, blunt projection | |
Tuberocity | A small, rough, blunt projection | |
Tubercle | A small, smooth eminence | |
Processes formed where bones articulate with each other | Head | The expanded articular surface of an epiphysis. |
Condyle | A smooth, rounded articular process | |
Epicondyle | An eminence superior to a condyle | |
Malleolus | A rounded process | |
Trochlea | A spool like articular process, acts like a pulley | |
Capitulum | A small round articular head | |
Facet | A small, flat articular surface |
The process of bone formation is ossification; this is the formation on bone from other tissues. The major forms of ossification exist, endochondrial and intramembranous.
Endochondrial bone formation is the ossification of existing cartilaginous structures. During development most bones begin as cartilage frames of the final bone. This cartilage is hardened during ossification and results in the boney structures observed in an adult. This process can be described through five generalised steps.
Intramembranous bone formation is the formation of bone without a cartilage scaffold. This is the main process by which bone repair occurs, and is also used to form the bones of the face. This process can be summarised into the following.
Anatomy |
---|
Skeletal system |
Muscular system |
Made By |