Axial Skeleton

The Axial Skeleton

Bones of the Skull and Vertebral Column

Overview of Lab Materials

  • Required Materials:

    • Colored Pencil/Markers or Crayons

    • Printed lab instructions

    • E-text Anatomy and Physiology Revealed

    • Get Body Smart

    • The Bone Box

Process for Lab Practice

  • Practice bone markings using:

    • The Bone Box

    • Get Body Smart

  • Use Anatomy and Physiology Revealed to:

    • Examine the vertebral column

    • Watch animations

  • Color diagrams of bones from different views.

Major Components of the Axial Skeleton

  • The Hyoid Bone

  • The Vertebrae

  • The Skull

  • Abnormal Curvatures of the Spine

  • Sinuses

  • Fetal Skull

The Hyoid Bone

Description

  • The hyoid bone is a U-shaped bone situated at the base of the tongue. It reflects the anatomy involved in the support of the tongue and other structures.

The Vertebrae

Classification

  • Cervical Vertebrae

  • Thoracic Vertebrae

  • Lumbar Vertebrae

  • Sacrum

  • Coccyx

Activity

  • Use Anatomy and Physiology Revealed to examine parts of the vertebral column.

Differentiating Vertebrae

Cervical Vertebrae

  • Includes Atlas (C1) and Axis (C2):

    • Atlas:

    • First cervical vertebra

    • Allows nodding of the head

    • Lacks a body and spins process

    • Axis:

    • Second cervical vertebra

    • Dens (odontoid process) provides a pivot point for the rotation of the atlas

    • Typical Cervical Vertebrae:

    • Characterized by transverse foramen and bifid spinous processes.

Illustrations

  • Top and side views of cervical vertebrae including details of the dens, atlanto-occipital joint, and transverse ligament.

Activities for Learning Cervical Vertebrae

  • Color the vertebrae and label the bone markings

  • Use Anatomy and Physiology Revealed to study the motion

  • Practice labeling in The Bone Box

Thoracic & Lumbar Vertebrae

Thoracic Vertebrae

  • Support the ribs

  • Have overlapping spinous processes

Lumbar Vertebrae

  • Large and robust due to weight-bearing requirements

Activities for Learning Thoracic & Lumbar Vertebrae

  • Color the vertebrae and label the bone markings

  • Learn and practice in Get Body Smart

  • Label thoracic and lumbar vertebrae in The Bone Box

Sacrum & Coccyx

  • Sacrum:

    • Composed of five fused vertebrae

    • Key structures include:

    • Ala, superior articular processes, sacral canal, anterior/posterior sacral foramina, median sacral crest, and auricular surfaces.

  • Coccyx:

    • Composed of 3-5 fused vertebrae

    • Structures include:

    • Transverse process, sacral promontory, horns, sacral hiatus.

Abnormal Curvatures of the Spine

  • Scoliosis: Sideways curvature of the spine

  • Kyphosis: Excessive rounding of the thoracic spine

  • Lordosis: Abnormal anterior curvature typically in the lumbar region

The Skull

Fetal Skull

  • Characteristics:

    • Bones not yet fused

    • Fontanels are present which include:

    • Anterior fontanel

    • Posterior fontanel

    • Sphenoid fontanel (Anterolateral)

    • Mastoid fontanel (Posterolateral)

  • Sutures: Formed when the bones fuse

Activity for Fetal Skull

  • Color the fetal skull and label structures:

    • Anterior Fontanel: Orange

    • Posterior Fontanel: Red

    • Sphenoid Fontanel: Pink

    • Mastoid Fontanel: Purple

    • Other bones include:

    • Frontal Bone: Yellow

    • Temporal Bone: Light green

    • Sphenoid Bone: Peach

    • Parietal Bone: Light blue

    • Occipital Bone: Tan

    • Sutures:

      • Coronal Suture: Dark brown

      • Squamous Suture: Black

      • Lambdoid Suture: Maroon

The Skull - Lateral View

Bone Markings

  1. Parietal Bone

  2. Lambdoid Suture

  3. Sphenoid Bone

  4. Occipital Bone

  5. Squamous Suture

  6. Temporal Bone

  7. Zygomatic Process

  8. External Acoustic Meatus

  9. Mastoid Process

  10. Styloid Process

  11. Mandibular Condyle

  12. Coronal Suture

  13. Frontal Bone

  14. Temporal Lines

  15. Nasal Bone

  16. Lacrimal Bone

  17. Zygomaticofacial Foramen

  18. Infraorbital Foramen

  19. Zygomatic Bone

  20. Maxilla

  21. Temporal Process

  22. Mandible

  23. Mental Foramen

Activity

  • Color the parts of the skull using Anatomy and Physiology Revealed.

Anterior Skull Anatomy

Structures and Color Coding

  • Sutures and Bones:

  • Frontal Bone, Glabella, Coronal Suture, Squamous Suture, Lacrimal Bone, Nasal Bone, Middle and Inferior Nasal Concha, Vomer, Mandible, Mental Protuberance, Mental Foramen, Supraorbital Foramen, Parietal Bone, Supraorbital Margin, Temporal Bone, Zygomatic Bone, Infraorbital Foramen, Intermaxillary Suture, Maxilla, Pterion.

Activity

  • Color the parts of the skull and practice anatomical identification using Anatomy and Physiology Revealed.

Posterior Skull Anatomy

  • Bone Markings:

    • Coronal Suture

    • Left and Right Parietal Bones

    • Occipital Bone

    • Sagittal Suture

    • Lambdoidal (Lambdoid) Suture

Cranial Floor Superior View

  • Notable Structures:

    • Diploe, Crista Galli, Cribriform Foramina, Frontal Bone, Cribriform Plate, Optic Canal, Foramen Rotundum, Foramen Ovale, Foramen Spinosum, Internal Acoustic Meatus, Jugular Foramen, Groove for Venous Sinus, Sphenoid Bone, Sella Turcica, Temporal Bone, Petrous Part, Parietal Bone, Hypoglossal Canal, Occipital Bone.

The Mandible Bone

Key Structures

  • Mandibular Condyles

  • Condylar Process

  • Coronoid Process

  • Mandibular Notch

  • Mandibular Foramen

  • Alveolar Process

  • Mental Foramen

  • Mental Protuberance

  • Body

  • Angle

  • Ramus

Activity

  • Color the mandible and label the bone structures accordingly.

The Sinuses

Types of Sinuses

  • Sphenoid Sinus

  • Frontal Sinus

  • Ethmoid Sinus

  • Maxillary Sinus

Assignment

  • Color the sinuses using the following color-coding:

    • Sphenoid: Blue

    • Frontal: Orange

    • Ethmoid: Green

    • Maxillary: Red