Anatomy and Physiology - Bone Anatomy and the Skull

Epiphysis

• rounded end of a long bone that forms a joint

• both on the distal and proximal ends of the bone

Articular Cartilage

• smooth white elastic tissue that covers the end of bones in joints

• think of when you eat a chicken and see that white part on the end of the bone, that’s what that is!

Diaphysis

• middle shaft of the bone/central part

• Basically everything of the long bone except the ends/epiphysis and articular cartilage

Long bones

• LONGER than width, heads at each end

• Humerus, femur, metatarsal, phalanges 

Short bones

• cube shaped and contain higher amounts of spongy bone 

_________ and _________ would be an example of short bones. 

carpals, tarsals 

Flat bone

• thinner, flattened, and often curved 

• thin layers of compact and spongy bone

_______, _________, and ___________ would be an example of flat bones. 

Skulls, ribs, sternum

Sesamoid bones

bones embedded in a tendon

The ________ is an example of a sesamoid bone.

patella

Irregular bones

• unsual shape and they do not fit another category

The ____________ would be an example of irregular bones. 

vertebrae 

Compact bone

• DENSEST part of the bone

Periosteum 

• layer of dense tissue that contains blood vessels and sensory neurons 

• innermost layer of endosteum

Spongy bone

• looks like a sponge

• it is where bone marrow is 

• holds stem cells that are able to turn into red blood cells, etc. 

• AKA cancellous bone 

Medullary Cavity 

• hollow area inside diaphysis 

• filled with yellow bone marrow 

• mostly fat cell 

Osteons

• circular units 

• The whole bone area that looks like a circle 

Lamellae

• notice how it's not lacunae (lacunae are pits where osteocytes are located)!

• these are sheets 

Canalculi

tiny chanels each osteocyte is connected back to

Osteoclast

• dissolve bony matrix

Osteoblast 

• help build bone

• example: “B” for BUILD

Axial Skeleton

• everything around the longitudinal (vertical) center plane of body 

Appendicular Skeleton

includes appendages/extremities: the arms, legs, AND pelvis 

Ossification 

• the process by which cartilage is being replaced by bone 

• CARTILAGE —> BONE

• this happens as babies grow older, their cartilage is being turned into bone

Fontanelles

wider structures found in the fetal skull

• allow share to change during birth 

• close within 1st 2 years of living

Sutures

• dense fibrous tissue located in the skull

• looks zig-zag like 

Zygomatic 

• also known as cheek bones 

• located behind eyes or next to eyes, depending on view 

Mandible 

• also known as your jaw bone 

• largest and strongest bone of face

Sphenoid

• butterfly or bat shaped bone 

• located behind the nose area and eyes 

• from side profile near the holes of the ear in the skull 

Parietal 

• located on the top section of the head

• although still further back then the frontal lobe 

Occipital

• located at the very back of the head 

• parallel to where the eye placement is

Temporal

• located behind ears and sphenoid area 

• near temples

Frontal lobe

• located at the top front of the skull

Nasal

• holes where cartilage for the nose would be located

• under the eye sockets

Maxilla

• central bone that helps support the teeth 

• part of the upper face 

Foramem Magnum

• hole in base of skull 

• spinal cord passes through here 

Mastoid process 

• bony projection located behind the ear 

• can see best when the skull is placed from bottom facing up (the view where the foramen magnum is present)

Occipital condyle

• rounded knobs on the underside of occipital bone that forms a joint 

Red Bone Marrow

• produces red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets

• made of spongy tissue

• in young children all bone marrow is red, and then in adults its mainly inside flat bones

Yellow Bone Marrow

• mainly produces adipose

• mainly located in MEDULLARY cavities of long bones