iCEV Slides - The Skeletal System: Skeletal Tissue

Flashcards and fill-in-the-blanks from iCEV's course on the skeletal system.

Skeletal system

The body’s framework of bones, providing structural support to the body and protecting vital organs

Types of skeletal tissue

Bone, cartilage, and ligaments

Types of bone

Cortical (compact) and cancellous (spongy)

Cortical bone (compact bone)

The hard, dense outer layer of a bone

Cancellous bone (spongy bone)

The lighter, porous inner layer of a bone

Periosteum

The thin outer layer of a bone

Diaphysis

The shaft extending throughout the middle of the bone containing the medullary cavity lined with endosteum

Epiphyses

Ends containing cancellous bone covered with hyaline cartilage for growth

Bone marrow

Cells in the medullary cavity which can become platelets or red or white blood cells

Medullary cavity

Cavity in the diaphysis (middle) of a bone that holds the bone marrow

Types of bone cells

Osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts

Osteoblasts

Cells that develop bone matrix through ossification

Osteocytes

Mature, inactive osteoblasts incorporated into mature bone

Osteoclasts

Cells that break down old or damaged bone

Types of bones

Long, short, flat, irregular, and sesamoid (classified by shape and function)

Long bones

Hard, dense bones which provide strength, structure, and mobility—have a diaphysis and two epiphyses; types invlude the humuerus, radius and ulna, femur, and tibia and fibula

Short bones

Cube-like bones that do not contain a diaphysis and contain almost entirely cancellous (spongy) tissue; includes carpals and tarsals

Flat bones

Thin, broad, and often curved bones with a cancellous bone layer sandwiched between two layers of cortical bone; protects internal organs and allows for attachment

Types include the skull, sternum, and ilium

Irregular bones

Bones that are not uniform in shape with different types of surfaces; includes the vertebrae, sacrum, and coccyx

Sesamoid bones

Bones developed and embedded inside tendons that vary in shape and serve to protect the tendons

Tendons

Tough, flexible connective tissue connecting bones to muscles

Articulation

Where two bones meet

Head

The rounded surface of an articulation

Crest

A ridge on a bone

Condyle

A rounded surface on a bone

Projection

A raised marking on a bone

Process

A prominent feature on a bone

Fossa

A shallow depression on a bone

Foramen

A hole in a bone

Cartilage

A flexible connective tissue found in elbows, knees, and ankles, enhancing bone strength and providing support for the joints

Hyaline cartilage

Glassy cartilage which reduces friction and absorbs shock on most joint surfaces

Fibrocartilage

The strongest type of cartilage which provides ridigity and absorbs shock; lines bony grooves

Elastic cartilage

The most flexible type of cartilage; it provides shape and support and is found in the ears, nose, and parts of the respiratory system

Ligaments

Tough, dense, and fibrous connective tissue that form connections among bone and cartilage to stabilize joints