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Bone Tissue and the Axial Skeleton - Anatomy & Physiology

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  • Five functions of bones

    Support, protection, assistance in movement, mineral homeostasis, blood cell production, and triglyceride storage.

  • Difference between compact bone and spongy bone

    Compact bone is dense and forms the outer layer of bones; spongy bone is porous and found inside bones, containing red bone marrow.

  • Histological structure of bone

    Bone tissue consists of osteocytes in lacunae, arranged in concentric lamellae around Haversian canals, connected by canaliculi.

  • Anatomy of a long bone

    Includes the diaphysis (shaft), epiphyses (ends), periosteum (outer membrane), articular cartilage, and bone marrow inside.

  • Why is bone considered living tissue?

    Bone contains living cells (osteocytes, osteoblasts, osteoclasts), has blood and nerve supply, and undergoes constant remodeling.

  • Endochondral ossification

    Process where bone develops by replacing hyaline cartilage, mainly forming long bones.

  • Intramembranous ossification

    Bone forms directly from mesenchymal tissue without a cartilage stage, mainly in flat bones like the skull.

  • How bones grow in length

    Length growth occurs at the epiphyseal plate by cartilage proliferation and ossification.

  • How bones grow in width

    Width growth occurs by appositional growth, adding new bone tissue beneath the periosteum.

  • Axial skeleton components

    Includes the skull, vertebral column, thoracic cage, and the hyoid bone.

  • Cranial bones count and function

    The cranium has 8 bones that protect the brain and support facial structures.

  • Five major regions of the vertebral column

    Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal regions.

  • Main functions of intervertebral discs

    Provide shock absorption, allow flexibility, and separate vertebrae to protect the spinal cord.

  • Structure of a typical rib

    Consists of a head, neck, tubercle, and shaft, articulating with vertebrae and sternum.

  • How ribs associate with vertebrae and sternum

    Ribs articulate posteriorly with thoracic vertebrae and anteriorly with the sternum via costal cartilage.

  • Role of the hyoid bone

    Supports the tongue and provides attachment for muscles of the tongue, neck, and pharynx; it does not articulate with other bones.

  • Bone remodeling factors

    Bone is remodeled based on use, strain, wear, and injury.

  • Sequence of fracture repair

    Includes hematoma formation, fibrocartilaginous callus formation, bony callus formation, and bone remodeling.

  • Bone classifications by shape

    Long, short, flat, irregular, and sesamoid bones, each with distinct shapes and functions.

  • Volkmann's canals

    Channels that connect Haversian canals and carry blood vessels and nerves perpendicular to the bone surface.

  • Osteoblast function

    Cells that build new bone by secreting matrix and initiating mineralization.

  • Osteoclast function

    Cells that resorb bone, breaking down bone tissue during remodeling and repair.

  • Osteocyte function

    Mature bone cells that maintain the bone matrix and communicate via canaliculi.

  • Periosteum

    A dense membrane covering the outer surface of bones, containing nerves and blood vessels.

  • Articular cartilage

    Hyaline cartilage covering bone ends at joints, reducing friction and absorbing shock.