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Axial Skeleton - Anatomy & Physiology

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Terms in this set (25)

  • What are the two major divisions of the human skeleton?
    The skeleton is divided into the axial skeleton (80 bones) and the appendicular skeleton.
  • What bones make up the axial skeleton?
    The axial skeleton includes the skull, vertebral column, thoracic cage (ribs and sternum), and associated bones.
  • What are the main functions of the axial skeleton?
    It supports and protects organs in body cavities, provides surface area for muscle attachment to adjust head, neck, trunk, perform respiratory movements, and stabilize appendicular skeleton.
  • How many bones form the adult human skull and how are they categorized?
    The skull has 22 bones: 8 cranial bones forming the braincase and 14 facial bones protecting entrances to digestive and respiratory tracts.
  • Name the 8 cranial bones of the skull.
    The cranial bones are: occipital, parietal (2), frontal, temporal (2), sphenoid, and ethmoid.
  • What is the function of the cranial bones?
    They form the braincase and protect the brain, brain fluids, blood vessels, nerves, and membranes.
  • What are the 14 facial bones of the skull?
    Facial bones include paired maxillae, palatine, nasal, inferior nasal conchae, zygomatic, lacrimal bones, and single mandible and vomer.
  • What is the function of the facial bones?
    They provide areas for muscle attachment and protect/support entrances to the digestive and respiratory systems.
  • What are paranasal sinuses and their functions?
    Air-filled chambers in frontal, sphenoidal, maxillary, palatine sinuses and ethmoidal air cells that lighten the skull, protect respiratory entrances, and serve as resonating chambers for speech.
  • What are sutures in the skull?
    Sutures are immovable joints connecting cranial bones with dense fibrous connective tissue. Major sutures include lambdoid, coronal, sagittal, and squamous.
  • What is the occipital bone and its key features?
    The occipital bone forms the posterior and inferior cranium, articulates with parietal, temporal, sphenoid bones and atlas, and contains the foramen magnum and occipital condyles.
  • What is the function of the foramen magnum?
    It connects the cranial cavity with the spinal cavity, allowing passage of the medulla oblongata and vertebral arteries.
  • Describe the parietal bones.
    Two large bones forming the superior and lateral cranium surfaces, articulating with each other, occipital, temporal, frontal, and sphenoid bones.
  • What is the frontal bone and its features?
    Forms the anterior cranium and upper eye sockets, contains frontal sinuses, and articulates with parietal, ethmoid, sphenoid, lacrimal, zygomatic, maxillary, and nasal bones.
  • What are the temporal bones and their functions?
    Form lateral cranium walls and zygomatic arches, articulate with mandible, protect inner ear, and provide muscle attachment sites.
  • Name important landmarks of the temporal bone.
    Includes the zygomatic process, mandibular fossa, styloid process, and houses the auditory ossicles.
  • What is the sphenoid bone and its significance?
    A complex bone forming part of the cranial floor, uniting cranial and facial bones, containing the sella turcica which holds the pituitary gland.
  • What are the ethmoid bone's functions and features?
    Forms anteromedial cranial floor, roof of nasal cavity, part of nasal septum and medial orbital wall, and contains ethmoidal air cells.
  • What is the hyoid bone and its unique feature?
    A U-shaped bone in the neck that supports the larynx and tongue muscles, with no direct articulation to other bones.
  • What bones form the vertebral column?
    The vertebral column consists of 24 vertebrae (7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar), the sacrum, and the coccyx.
  • What are the primary and secondary spinal curves?
    Primary curves (thoracic and sacral) develop before birth; secondary curves (cervical and lumbar) develop after birth to balance body weight.
  • What distinguishes cervical vertebrae from others?
    Cervical vertebrae have small bodies, large vertebral foramina, transverse foramina for vertebral arteries, and bifid spinous processes (except C7).
  • What is unique about the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae?
    Atlas (C1) supports the skull and lacks a body and spinous process; axis (C2) has the dens (odontoid process) that allows head rotation.
  • How are ribs classified in the thoracic cage?
    Ribs are classified as true ribs (1-7, attach directly to sternum), false ribs (8-10, attach via costal cartilage of rib 7), and floating ribs (11-12, no sternal attachment).
  • What are the three parts of the sternum?
    The sternum consists of the manubrium (articulates with clavicle and rib 1), body (attaches ribs 2-7), and xiphoid process (attachment for diaphragm and abdominal muscles).