chapter 7- Skeletal system

What are the main components of the skeletal system?

The skeletal system is composed of bones, cartilages, and ligaments.

List three functions of the skeletal system.

Support, protection, and movement; blood cell formation; inorganic salt storage.

What is the process of blood cell formation called?

Hematopoiesis.

What does red bone marrow produce?

Red blood cells, white blood cells, and blood platelets.

Which inorganic salt is most abundantly stored in bones?

Hydroxyapatite.

What are the classifications of bones based on their shape?

Long bones, short bones, flat bones, and irregular bones.

Describe the structure of long bones.

Long bones are longer than they are wide and have expanded ends.

What is a sesamoid bone?

A round bone embedded in a tendon; for example, the patella.

What is the diaphysis of a long bone?

The shaft or longest part of the bone, primarily composed of compact bone.

What are osteoblasts?

Bone-forming cells that deposit bone matrix.

What function do osteocytes serve in bone tissue?

Former osteoblasts trapped in the matrix who maintain bone tissue.

What is the function of osteoclasts?

They break down bone matrix through bone resorption.

What is the difference between bone deposition and bone resorption?

Bone deposition is the buildup of bone tissue by osteoblasts; bone resorption is the breakdown of bone tissue by osteoclasts.

What is osteogenesis?

The process of bone formation.

What role does Vitamin D play in bone health?

It is needed for proper absorption of dietary calcium.

What is the difference between true ribs and false ribs?

True ribs (1-7) have direct attachment to the sternum, while false ribs (8-12) have indirect or no attachment.

What is osteoporosis?

A condition characterized by severe loss of bone density, making bones brittle.

How many bones form the human vertebral column?

26 separate bones in adults, 33 in infants.

What are the four types of vertebrae in the vertebral column?

Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal.

What do the terms ‘appositional growth’ and ‘interstitial growth’ mean in bone development?

Appositional growth is the increase in bone diameter; interstitial growth refers to the increase in bone length.

How does the thyroid gland help regulate blood calcium levels?

It releases calcitonin when calcium levels are high, stimulating osteoblast activity to lower blood calcium.

What happens during a traumatic fracture?

It is caused by an injury.

What characterizes a compound fracture?

The fracture exposes the bone to the outside through an opening in the skin.

What are the primary spinal curves?

Thoracic curvature and sacral curvature.

What is the main function of the pelvic girdle?

It supports the trunk and protects the pelvic viscera.

Which two bones form the zygomatic arch?

Temporal bone and zygomatic bone.

What is the role of the periosteum?

It covers the outer surface of bones, providing attachment sites for ligaments and tendons.

Describe a fontanel in infants.

A soft spot between cranial bones that is a membrane-covered fibrous gap.

What is a cleft palate?

A birth defect where the palatine processes do not fuse together.