The skeletal system includes all of the bones, cartilages, and ligaments of the body that support and give shape to the body and body structures.
The skeleton consists of the bones of the body.
For adults, there are 206 bones in the skeleton.
The skeleton is subdivided into two major divisions—the axial and appendicular.
The Axial Skeleton
The Appendicular Skeleton
The appendicular skeleton includes all bones of the upper and lower limbs, plus the bones that attach each limb to the axial skeleton.
There are 126 bones in the appendicular skeleton of an adult.
The Skull
Anterior View of Skull
Lateral View of Skull
The brain case contains and protects the brain.
The interior space that is almost completely occupied by the brain is called the cranial cavity.
This cavity is bounded superiorly by the rounded top of the skull, which is called the calvaria (skullcap), and the lateral and posterior sides of the skull.
This is a complex area that varies in depth and has numerous openings for the passage of cranial nerves, blood vessels, and the spinal cord. Inside the skull, the base is subdivided into three large spaces, called the anterior cranial fossa, middle cranial fossa, and posterior cranial fossa (fossa = “trench or ditch”).
Parietal Bone: The parietal bone forms most of the upper lateral side of the skull.
Temporal Bone
Frontal Bone
Occipital Bone
Sphenoid Bone
Ethmoid Bone
Sutures of the Skull
Facial Bones of the Skull
Maxillary Bone
Palatine Bone
Zygomatic Bone
The zygomatic bone is also known as the cheekbone.
Each of the paired zygomatic bones forms much of the lateral wall of the orbit and the lateral-inferior margins of the anterior orbital opening.
Nasal Bone: The nasal bone is one of two small bones that articulate (join) with each other to form the bony base (bridge) of the nose.
Lacrimal Bone
Mandible
The Nasal Septum and Nasal Conchae
Middle Cranial Fossa
Optic canal—This opening is located at the anterior lateral corner of the sella turcica. It provides for passage of the optic nerve into the orbit.
Superior orbital fissure—This large, irregular opening into the posterior orbit is located on the anterior wall of the middle cranial fossa, lateral to the optic canal and under the projecting margin of the lesser wing of the sphenoid bone.
Foramen rotundum—This rounded opening (rotundum = “round”) is located in the floor of the middle cranial fossa, just inferior to the superior orbital fissure.
Foramen ovale of the middle cranial fossa—This large, oval-shaped opening in the floor of the middle cranial fossa provides passage for a major sensory nerve to the lateral head, cheek, chin, and lower teeth.
Foramen spinosum—This small opening, located posterior-lateral to the foramen ovale, is the entry point for an important artery that supplies the covering layers surrounding the brain.
Carotid canal—This is the zig-zag passageway through which a major artery to the brain enters the skull.
Foramen lacerum—This irregular opening is located in the base of the skull, immediately inferior to the exit of the carotid canal.
\n Posterior Cranial Fossa
The posterior cranial fossa is the most posterior and deepest portion of the cranial cavity. It contains the cerebellum of the brain.
Located at the anterior-lateral margin of the foramen magnum is the hypoglossal canal.
Immediately inferior to the internal acoustic meatus is the large, irregularly shaped jugular foramen.
\n Paranasal Sinuses
The paranasal sinuses are hollow, air-filled spaces located within certain bones of the skull.
The frontal sinus is located just above the eyebrows, within the frontal bone.
The largest sinus is the maxillary sinus.
The sphenoid sinus is a single, midline sinus.
Each of these spaces is called an ethmoid air cell.
The vertebral column is also known as the spinal column or spine.
It consists of a sequence of vertebrae (singular = vertebra), each of which is separated and united by an intervertebral disc.
Curvatures of the Vertebral Column
General Structure of a Vertebra
Cervical Vertebrae
Thoracic Vertebrae
Lumbar Vertebrae
Sacrum and Coccyx
Intervertebral Disc
Ligaments of the Vertebral Column
The Thoracic Cage
Sternum
Parts of a Typical Rib
The posterior end of a typical rib is called the head of the rib.
Lateral to the head is the narrowed neck of the rib.
A small bump on the posterior rib surface is the tubercle of the rib, which articulates with the facet located on the transverse process of the same numbered vertebra.
The remainder of the rib is the body of the rib (shaft).
Just lateral to the tubercle is the angle of the rib, the point at which the rib has its greatest degree of curvature.
A shallow costal groove for the passage of blood vessels and a nerve is found along the inferior margin of each rib.
Development of the Skull