Skull, Landmarks + Axial Skeleton Basics

condyle

a large rounded process

foramen

a hole in bone for arteries, veins, and nerves

sinus

a hollow cavity within a bone

styloid process

a pointy process

suture

fibrous joint that holds skull bones together

trochanter

very large bump found on the femur

tubercle

rounded bump for muscle and ligament attachment

tuberosity

rounded bump with a more gradual slope

Axial skeleton includes

skull, spine, ribcabe, sacrum

appendicular skeleton includes

upper and lower extremities

number of bones in the skull

22 bones

cranial bones (8)

frontal, occipital, 2 parietals, 2 temporals, sphenoid, ethmoid

sagittal sutures connects

right and left parietal bones

coronal sutures connects

frontal bone to both parietal bones

squamous suture connects

parietal bones to temporal bones

frontal bone function

forms anterior cranium and superior orbits; contains frontal sinuses

supraorbital margin

thickened ridge above orbits protecting the eye

supraorbital foramen

passage for vessels to frontal sinus, eyebrow, and eyelind

parietal bones

paired bones forming lateral cranium

occipital bone landmark

foramen magnum for spinal cord

zygomatic process

posterior part of zygomatic arch; articulates with zygomatic bone

mastoid process

muscle attachment site; contains air cells connected to middle ear

styloid process (temporal)

pointed process attaching ligaments supporting the hyoid

external auditory canal

tube housing external and middle ear structures

sella turcica

depression in sphenoid bone housing the pituitary gland

lesser wings

extend laterally; anterior to sella turcica

greater wings

lateral to sella turcica; form part of cranial floor

crista galli

superior ridge; attachment for dura mater

cribriform plate

perforated bone; olfactory nerve fibers pass through

perpendicular plate

forms superior portion of nasal septum

maxilla

forms upper jaw; anterior skull

mandible

forms lower jaw; contains condyles for TMJ

zygomatic bone

forms cheeks; articulates with maxilla, frontal, temporal bones

temporal process (zygomatic bone)

connects with temporal bone to form zygomatic arch

palatine bone

forms posterior hard palate

vomer

forms inferior nasal septum; articulates with ethmoid, sphenoid, palatine, maxilla