Bones and Cartilage Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering skeletal divisions, bone classifications, bone markings, long bone microscopic structures, and skeletal cartilage types.

Axial skeleton

The subdivision of the human skeleton that includes the skull, vertebrae, and ribs.

Appendicular skeleton

The subdivision of the human skeleton that includes the limbs, pectoral girdle, and pelvic girdle.

Tuberosity

Large rounded projection on a bone; may be roughened.

Crest

Narrow ridge of bone; usually prominent.

Trochanter

Very large, blunt, irregularly shaped process, for which the only examples are on the femur.

Line (bone marking)

Narrow ridge of bone; less prominent than a crest.

Tubercle

Small rounded projection or process.

Epicondyle

Raised area on or above a condyle.

Spine (bone marking)

Sharp, slender, often pointed projection.

Process (bone marking)

Any bony prominence.

Head (bone marking)

Bony expansion carried on a narrow neck.

Facet

Smooth, nearly flat articular surface.

Condyle

Rounded articular projection.

Ramus

Armlike bar of bone.

Groove (bone marking)

A furrow in a bone.

Fissure

Narrow, slitlike opening.

Foramen

Round or oval opening through a bone.

Notch

Indentation at the edge of a structure.

Meatus

Canal-like passageway.

Sinus

Bone cavity, filled with air and lined with mucous membrane.

Fossa

Shallow basinlike depression in a bone, often serving as an articular surface.

Compact bone

Bone class that is smooth and homogenous.

Spongy bone

Cancellous bone class that has small trabeculae (bars) and lots of space.

Long bones

Bones that are longer than they are wide and made mostly of compact bone (example: femur).

Short bones

Cube-shaped bones consisting mostly of spongy bone (example: tarsals/carpals).

Flat bones

Thin bones composed of two wafer-like layers of compact bone with spongy bone in between (example: skull).

Irregular bones

Bones with irregular shapes (example: vertebrae).

Epiphysis

The distal or proximal end of a bone.

Periosteum

Fibrous structure covering the bone from which Sharpey's fibers penetrate the bone.

Articular cartilage

Cartilage covering the epiphyseal surface instead of periosteum.

Epiphyseal plate

Area of hyaline cartilage where longitudinal growth of bones occurs (seen as epiphyseal line in adults).

Endosteum

Tissue lining the central shaft interior of a long bone.

Medullary cavity

Hollow central interior of a bone containing yellow bone marrow in adults and red bone marrow in infants.

Yellow bone marrow

Marrow composed of adipose tissue (fat cells).

Red bone marrow

Marrow consisting of immature red and white blood cells and stem cells used to produce blood cells.

Osteon

Also called Haversian system; consists of a central canal and all concentric lamellae with the Haversian/central canal in the center.

Haversian canal

Central canal running along the length of bone carrying blood vessels, lymph vessels, and nerves.

Canaliculi

Tiny canals radiating outward from the central canal that connect the central canal to lacunae.

Osteocytes

Mature bone cells found inside lacunae.

Lacunae

Small chambers that house mature bone cells (osteocytes).

Perforating canals

Also called Volkmann's canals; canals running into compact bone and marrow cavity from the periosteum.

Shin splints

Dull ache in the shin mostly classified as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS).

Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS)

Classification for most causes of shin pain, caused by inflammation of the periosteum (periostitis) or inflammation of perforating fibers.

Hyaline cartilage

Most common skeletal cartilage type, found in nasal, articular, costal, and tracheal/bronchial passages.

Elastic cartilage

Cartilage type found only in the external ear and epiglottis.

Fibrocartilage

Cartilage type found in the knee joint, pubic symphysis, and intervertebral discs.