Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory: Overview of the Skeleton

Support: Provides structural framework and holds the body upright.
Protection: Guards delicate organs (e.g., skull protects brain, vertebral column protects spinal cord).
Lever System: Works with muscles for body movement.
Calcium Regulation: Bones serve as a storage site for calcium.
Hematopoiesis: Process of blood cell formation.

Axial Skeleton: Includes skull, vertebrae, sternum, and ribs.
Appendicular Skeleton: Comprises the remaining bones of the body (limbs, girdles).

Long Bone Structure: Features a medullary cavity (contains yellow marrow in adults), spongy bone (at epiphysis), compact bone (in diaphysis), and an epiphyseal line.
Compact Bone Microscopic Structure: Bone is a connective tissue with a firm extracellular matrix composed of a calcium-phosphate compound and collagen. This matrix is organized into repeating ring-like structures called osteons (Haversian Systems).

Key Bones: Ethmoid, Sphenoid, and Hyoid bone (does not articulate with other bones).
Major Sutures: Identify Sagittal, Coronal, Lambdoid, and Squamous sutures.
Mandible: Features include coronoid process, condylar process/mandibular condyle, angle, body, mental foramen, and alveolar processes.
Nasal Concha: Also known as a nasal turbinate.
Articulation: The Atlas (C1) articulates with the occipital condyles.
Newborn Skull: Noted for fontanelles (e.g., Anterior, Sphenoidal/anterolateral, Mastoid/posterolateral) and paired frontal bones.

Typical Vertebra: Possesses spinous and transverse processes.
Atlas (C1): Lacks a body and a spinous process.
Axis (C2): Characterized by the presence of a dens (odontoid process) that inserts into the vertebral foramen of the atlas.
Includes Sacrum and Coccyx.

Sternum: Consists of the Manubrium, Body, and Xiphoid Process.
Ribs: Typical ribs articulate posteriorly with thoracic vertebrae and anteriorly with the sternum (directly or indirectly via costal cartilages) or are floating.