The Skeletal System

Thirty vocabulary flashcards covering key terminology from the skeletal system lecture notes.

os

Bone

osteoblasts

Cells that form bone

osteocytes

Osteoblasts that have become surrounded by bone matrix

ossification

The hardening of the bone matrix

hematopoiesis

The process of blood cell formation

cancellous bone

Light and spongy bone composed of tiny spicules with many spaces

compact bone

Heavy and dense bone composed of tiny, tightly compacted cylinders

Haversian systems

Concentric layers of ossified bone matrix around a central canal, running lengthwise with the bone

periosteum

A membrane that covers the outer surfaces of bones

endosteum

A membrane that lines the hollow interior surfaces of bones

osteoclasts

Cells responsible for remodeling and removing bone

Volkmann’s canals

Channels through bone matrix containing blood vessels, joining Haversian systems at right angles

nutrient foramina

Large channels in bones that carry blood in and out of bone marrow

endochondral bone formation

A process of bone formation where a cartilage template is gradually replaced by bone

intramembranous bone formation

A process of bone formation where bone develops directly from fibrous tissue membranes, occurring only in certain skull bones

red bone marrow

Hematopoietic tissue, the most common type in younger animals

yellow bone marrow

Primarily adipose connective tissue, the most common type in adult animals

articular surfaces

Smooth areas of compact bone on joint surfaces where bones come in contact

foramen

A hole in a bone through which important structures like blood vessels and nerves can pass

fossa

A depressed or sunken area on the surface of a bone, usually occupied by muscles or tendons

axial skeleton

The bones located along the central axis of the body, including the head and trunk

appendicular skeleton

The bones of the limbs

visceral skeleton

Bones formed in soft organs (viscera)

sutures

Jagged, immovable, fibrous joints that unite most of the bones of the skull

foramen magnum

A large opening in the center of the occipital bone where the spinal cord exits the skull

ossicles

The three small bones located in the middle ear (malleus, incus, stapes) that transmit vibrations

hyoid bone

A single U-shaped bone that supports the tongue and aids in swallowing

vertebral column

Also known as the spinal column, a series of individual bones (vertebrae) extending from the skull to the tail

intervertebral disks

Cartilaginous structures that separate the bodies of adjacent vertebrae

atlas (C1)

The first cervical vertebra, which articulates with the occipital condyles