Human Skeleton Anatomy Overview

• The skeleton is a crucial part of the body, acting as its framework and protecting vital organs such as the brain, heart, and lungs.
• The skeleton can be divided into two major sections: the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton.
• The axial skeleton, forming the main trunk of the body, consists of the skull, spinal column, ribs, and sternum. The spinal column, or vertebral column, is made up of 26 vertebrae with an intervertebral disc between each, protecting the spinal cord and acting as a shock absorber. Ribs protect organs and are responsible for the production of blood through hematopoiesis.
• The appendicular skeleton forms the extremities of the body, including the shoulder girdle, arm bones, pelvic girdle, and leg bones.
• The shoulder girdle is made up of collarbones (clavicles) and shoulder bones (scapulas), and the arm bone is divided into the humerus, radius, and ulna, with wrist bones (carpels) and hand bones completing the structure.
• The pelvic girdle, made up of hip bones (oscoecci), attaches to the leg bones, which include the femur, patella, tibia, fibula, and bones of the foot (tarsals, metatarsals, and phalanges).
• Long bones, such as the femur, have a shaft (diaphysis) and two ends (proximal and distal epiphysis) and contain a medullary canal filled with yellow marrow, with an endosteum keeping the marrow intact and a periosteum covering the outer bone.
• Joints, formed where bones meet, are divided into three categories based on their mobility: diarthrosis (freely movable), amphiarthrosis (slightly movable), and synarthrosis (immovable).
• Ligaments and cartilage support joints and contribute to their functionality.

Learn about the structure and functions of the human skeleton, including the axial and appendicular sections. Understand the roles of bones like the spinal column, ribs, pelvis, and limbs in supporting and protecting the body.