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Bone Tissue & Skeletal System - Anatomy & Physiology

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Terms in this set (24)

  • Major functions of the skeletal system
    Support, protection, movement, mineral storage and acid-base homeostasis, blood cell formation, and fat storage.
  • What tissues compose bones?
    Bones are composed of osseous (bone) tissue, dense regular and irregular connective tissue, and bone marrow.
  • Role of yellow bone marrow
    Stores fat cells (adipocytes) that contain triglycerides, which can be broken down into fatty acids for cellular fuel.
  • Role of red bone marrow
    Specialized connective tissue involved in hematopoiesis, the formation of blood cells.
  • What is the periosteum?
    A membrane of dense irregular collagenous connective tissue surrounding the outer surface of a long bone, containing blood vessels, nerves, and bone cells.
  • Difference between diaphysis and epiphysis
    The diaphysis is the shaft of a long bone, while the epiphyses are the ends of the bone.
  • What is the marrow (medullary) cavity?
    A hollow cavity within the diaphysis containing either red bone marrow or yellow bone marrow depending on age and bone.
  • Function of articular cartilage
    A thin layer of hyaline cartilage covering epiphyses to reduce friction and absorb shock at joints.
  • Compact bone vs spongy bone
    Compact bone is dense and resists linear compression and twisting; spongy bone has a honeycomb structure that resists forces from multiple directions and houses bone marrow.
  • What is the endosteum?
    A thin membrane covering the bony struts of spongy bone and all inner surfaces of bone.
  • How do long bones grow in length?
    Through longitudinal growth at the epiphyseal plate by division of chondrocytes and ossification on the diaphyseal side.
  • What are the 5 zones of the epiphyseal plate?
    Zone of reserve cartilage, zone of proliferation, zone of hypertrophy and maturation, zone of calcification, and zone of ossification.
  • What happens when the epiphyseal plate closes?
    Longitudinal growth stops and the plate becomes the epiphyseal line, a calcified remnant.
  • Composition of bone extracellular matrix (ECM)
    About 65% inorganic matrix (mostly hydroxyapatite crystals) and 35% organic matrix (osteoid) including collagen fibers.
  • Role of hydroxyapatite crystals in bone
    Provide hardness and resistance to compression in bone.
  • Role of collagen fibers in bone
    Provide tensile strength and resistance to twisting forces by forming cross-links aligned with hydroxyapatite crystals.
  • Functions of osteoblasts
    Bone-building cells that perform bone deposition by secreting organic matrix and assisting in inorganic matrix formation.
  • Functions of osteocytes
    Mature bone cells that maintain the bone matrix and communicate with osteoblasts to reinforce bone under tension.
  • Functions of osteoclasts
    Large multinucleated cells responsible for bone resorption by secreting hydrogen ions and enzymes to break down bone matrix.
  • Structure of an osteon
    A cylindrical unit of compact bone consisting of concentric lamellae surrounding a central (Haversian) canal containing blood vessels and nerves.
  • What are lacunae and canaliculi?
    Lacunae are small cavities housing osteocytes; canaliculi are tiny canals connecting lacunae allowing cell communication.
  • What are interstitial and circumferential lamellae?
    Interstitial lamellae fill spaces between osteons; circumferential lamellae form outer and inner layers of compact bone adding strength.
  • Role of perforating (Volkmann's) canals
    Canals that connect neighboring osteons and carry blood vessels from the periosteum, running perpendicular to central canals.
  • Characteristics of spongy bone
    Less dense, contains trabeculae that resist forces in multiple directions, and houses bone marrow within its cavities.