Functions & Cartilage
In addition to support, protection, and movement, the spongy bone of the skeletal system performs this vital function involving the creation of red and white blood cells.
What is hemopoiesis (or hematopoiesis)?
The skull, ribs, sternum, and vertebrae make up this central division of the skeleton.
What is the axial skeleton?
This is the anatomical term for the shaft or middle portion of a long bone.
What is the diaphysis?
This is a rough area on the shaft of a bone serving as a muscle attachment site, such as the one on the humerus for the deltoid muscle.
What is a tuberosity?
This is the circular, functional unit of compact bone.
What is an osteon?
This smooth type of cartilage is found on the ends of long bones to help reduce friction inside joints.
What is hyaline cartilage?
The humerus and the femur belong to this shape-based classification of bones.
What are long bones?
These are the rounded, distal ends of a long bone that usually articulate with other bones.
What are the epiphyses?
These large, blunt bumps found exclusively on the proximal femur serve as attachment sites for massive, powerful muscles.
What are trochanters?
Spongy bone is composed of a network of these "little beams."
What are trabeculae?
This tough, shock-absorbing cartilage is found in the pads between the vertebrae of the spinal column.
What is fibrocartilage?
The hips, shoulders, arms, and legs make up this major division of the skeleton.
What is the appendicular skeleton?
The medullary cavity inside the shaft of a long bone is usually filled with this fatty substance.
What is yellow bone marrow?
This is a smooth, rounded articular surface at the end of a bone that rubs against another bone to form a joint (like the distal end of the femur).
What is a condyle?
The organic component of the bone matrix, known as osteoid, contains large amounts of these tough fibers that give bone a tensile strength rivaling steel.
What is collagen?
Because the body needs constant levels of this mineral for muscle contraction and nerve impulses, it is heavily stored inside bone tissue.
What is calcium?
Because of their complex shapes, the bones of the vertebrae fall into this shape-based category.
What are irregular bones?
This connective tissue membrane surrounds the outside of the bone and contains blood vessels, nerves, and bone-building cells.
What is the periosteum?
This term describes a ditch or depression in a bone, such as the ones on the scapula where the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles sit.
What is a fossa?
This mineral compound makes up about 65% of the bone matrix and gives bone its hard, rigid structure.
What is hydroxyapatite (or calcium phosphate)?
Found in the ear and the epiglottis, this cartilage contains more fibers than hyaline cartilage.
What is elastic cartilage?
Usually found within tendons, these "sesame-seed shaped" bones help reduce friction and optimize the angle of muscle pull.
What are sesamoid bones?
Located midway between the epiphysis and the diaphysis, the metaphysis is famous for containing this actively dividing cartilaginous area.
What is the growth plate (or epiphyseal line)?
This is the general anatomical term for a hole or opening in a bone, such as the large one at the base of the skull.
What is a foramen?
These tiny canals link the osteocytes in their lacunae back to the central Haversian canal to ensure a good nutrient supply.
What are canaliculi?