Axial Skeleton Flashcards

Flashcards covering the anatomy of the axial skeleton, including the skull, vertebral column, and thoracic cage, based on lecture notes.

Cranial cavity bones

The $8$ bones that surround the brain and attach to the vertebrae and jaw.

Occipital condyles

Structures that articulate with the atlas to allow the head to nod.

Mandibular fossa

The part of the skull that articulates with the mandible.

Foramen magnum

The large opening in the skull provided for the spinal cord.

Facial bones

The $14$ bones that make up the inferior portions of the orbits, nose, and jaw, including the zygomatic, vomer, mandible, nasal, lacrimal, and maxilla.

Bony palate

The structure that separates the mouth from the nasal cavity.

Zygomatic arch

A structure formed by the meeting of the temporal process of the zygomatic bone and the zygomatic process of the temporal bone.

Nasal Conchae

Three structures in the nasal cavity identified as Superior, Middle, and Inferior.

Paranasal Sinuses

Sinuses located within the frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid, and maxillary bones.

Sutures

Joints between flat bones held by dense regular connective tissue, including the lambdoid, sagittal, squamous, and coronal sutures.

Fontanels

Dense regular connective tissue areas in the growing skull, specifically the Anterior, Posterior, Sphenoidal, and Mastoid fontanels.

Auditory ossicles

Small bones of the ear that do not articulate with other bones: the malleus, incus, and stapes.

Hyoid

A bone that does not articulate with others; it is associated with the stylohyoid ligament and the digastric muscle.

Vertebral Column Divisions

Consists of Cervical ($7$), Thoracic ($12$), Lumbar ($5$), Sacrum ($5$), and Coccyx (usually $4$).

Intervertebral foramen

An opening formed by the superior and inferior notches of vertebrae that allows the passage of spinal nerves.

Atlas (C1)

The first cervical vertebra, which is responsible for the nodding motion of the head.

Axis (C2)

The second cervical vertebra, featuring the dens (odontoid process), which is responsible for rotation.

Thoracic Vertebrae Articulation

These vertebrae articulate with one or two costae at demicostal facets and with the inferior costa at the transverse costal facet.

Rib Articulation Points

The head of the rib meets the superior demifacet of one vertebrae and the inferior demifacet of the next, while the tubercle of the rib meets the transverse costal facet.

Manubrium

The portion of the sternum that articulates with rib $1$.

Body of Sternum

The portion of the sternum that articulates with ribs $2$ through $7$ (true ribs).

Rib Classifications

Divided into true ribs ($2$-$7$), false ribs ($8$-$10$), and floating ribs ($11$-$12$).

Xiphoid process

The part of the sternum that ossifies late in life.