Logan Steele
Bones, muscles, and joints make up the musculoskeletal system. Bones provide support, shape, and protection to the body and its organs. The adult human body has 206 bones, which are connected to muscles by tendons. There are over 600 skeletal muscles in the human body, which help the body move. These muscles pull on the bones and joints, allowing for movement.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of bones in the adult human body | 206 |
| Types of bones | Long, short, flat, irregular |
| Types of tissue in a typical bone | Hard outer tissue, sponge-like inner tissue, smooth tissue at the ends |
| Types of muscle tissue | Skeletal, cardiac, smooth |
| Types of joints | Synovial, cartilaginous |
| Types of muscle filaments | Actin, myosin |
| Types of muscle cells | Satellite cells |
| Types of muscle sheaths | Epimysium, perimysium, endomysium |
| Types of bone tissue | Compact (hard) bone, cancellous (spongy) bone |
| Types of bone cells | Osteoblasts, osteoclasts, osteocytes, hematopoietic |
| Functions of bones | Provide structure, support, protection for organs, store minerals and blood cells |
| Functions of muscles | Allow movement, protect organs, maintain posture, facilitate communication, help with breathing and blood flow |
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What You'll Learn
Bones give the body its shape
The skull, for instance, gives shape to the face and also protects the brain. The spinal cord is protected by the backbone or spinal column, which is made up of 33 bones called vertebrae. The ribs form a cage that shelters the heart and lungs, and the pelvis helps protect the bladder, part of the intestines, and the reproductive organs in women.
The femur, the longest bone in the body, extends from the pelvis to the knee and supports the body's weight. At the knee, the patella or kneecap is a triangular-shaped bone that protects the knee joint. Below the knee are two other leg bones: the tibia and the fibula. The ankle, where the lower leg bones connect to the talus, a large bone in the foot, is supported by six other bones. The foot has five main bones, similar to the hand, and each toe contains three tiny bones, except for the big toe, which has two.
The skeleton is the anchor for all the tissue that connects to it, including muscles, which are attached to bones by tendons. Bones also serve as a storage site for minerals, such as calcium and vitamin D, and blood cells, which are formed and stored in the soft bone marrow at the centre of certain bones.
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Muscles contract to move bones
Bones, muscles, and joints make up the musculoskeletal system. Bones provide support for our bodies and help form our shape. They also protect our organs and systems. The skull, for instance, protects the brain and forms the shape of the face. The spinal cord, which is protected by the backbone, serves as a pathway for messages between the brain and the body.
Muscles, on the other hand, help the body move. There are more than 600 skeletal muscles in the human body. They are attached to the bones of our skeleton through strong fibres called tendons. When a muscle contracts, it shortens and pulls the bone, causing it to move at the joint. However, it is important to note that a muscle can only pull a bone and cannot push it back to its original position. Therefore, another muscle attached to the same bone must contract to move it in the opposite direction. This means that two muscles, or a pair of muscles, work together to move a bone.
For example, the biceps and triceps muscles work together to allow us to bend and straighten our arm. The biceps muscle, located in the front of the upper arm, is a flexor muscle. When we want to bend our arm, the biceps muscle contracts and pulls the lower arm bones, causing the lower arm to move up or bend. At the same time, the triceps muscle, located at the back of the upper arm, relaxes and becomes long and thin. When we want to straighten the arm, the triceps muscle contracts and becomes shorter and fatter, while the biceps muscle relaxes.
The contraction of muscles that brings about movement is controlled by the brain. For instance, when we want to lift our arm, our brain sends a message to the muscles in our arm, and we move it.
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Bones store and release calcium
Bones are covered by muscles and play a crucial role in the body's musculoskeletal system. They provide support, help form our shape, and protect our organs and systems. Bones also serve as a storage site for minerals, including calcium.
Calcium is essential for building and maintaining strong, healthy bones. Bones are the main storage site of calcium in the body, and they release calcium into the bloodstream when needed. The body cannot produce calcium, so it relies on dietary intake or supplements to obtain this vital mineral. Vitamin D is crucial in this process, as it helps the gut absorb more calcium.
The amount of calcium stored in the bones is influenced by dietary intake and the presence of certain vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin D and calcium. Bone density, which refers to the amount of calcium and other minerals in the bone, is highest between the ages of 25 and 35 and decreases with age. As people age, their bodies still require calcium to maintain bone density and strength.
Maintaining bone health is essential, as repeated releases of calcium from the bones can lead to weakened and thin bones. Ensuring adequate dietary calcium intake, maintaining healthy vitamin D levels, avoiding smoking, and engaging in weight-bearing and resistance exercises are crucial for optimising bone health. While dairy products are a rich source of calcium, excessive calcium intake can lead to health issues such as constipation, kidney stones, and kidney damage. Therefore, consulting a healthcare provider is essential to determine the appropriate calcium and vitamin D intake for individuals.
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Tendons attach muscles to bones
Bones are covered by muscles, which help the body move. There are more than 600 skeletal muscles in the human body. They help the body move by pulling on the joints. Muscles can pull bones, but they can't push them back to their original position. So, they work in pairs of flexors and extensors. For example, the biceps muscle in the front of the upper arm is a flexor, and the triceps at the back of the upper arm is an extensor. When you bend your elbow, the biceps contract. Then the biceps relax and the triceps contract to straighten the elbow.
Tendons come in many shapes and sizes. Some are flattened bands, while others are rounded cords. The shape of the enthesis, or attachment site, often matches that of the tendon. For example, the tendons of pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi are flattened sheets of connective tissue that attach to the upper part of the humerus in a linear fashion that extends over several centimetres. In contrast, the more rounded tendons at the wrist attach to bones in the hand in a more precise way.
Tendons often insert into bone eminences, or projections that grow on bone surfaces. Bone eminences are termed according to their form. For example, a broad, rough elevation is called a tuberosity, protuberance, or process, while a small, rough prominence is called a tubercle. These superstructures provide a stable anchoring point for tendons, increase the moment arm for more effective muscle force transfer, and dissipate stresses at the tendon-bone interface.
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Bones are made of compact and cancellous tissue
Bones are essential parts of the body that provide support, help form our shape, and protect our organs and systems. They are made of compact and cancellous tissue, also known as spongy bone. Compact bone is the hard outer tissue of bones, and cancellous bone is the sponge-like inner tissue.
Compact bone is dense, solid, and whitish in colour. It makes up the outer cortex of all bones and is in immediate contact with the periosteum, a thin, dense membrane on the surface of the bone that contains nerves and blood vessels that help nourish bone tissue. Compact bone is strong and can withstand compressive forces. It provides structural support and strength to bones.
Cancellous bone, on the other hand, is located inside the compact bone. It has a sponge-like appearance, with bone marrow filling its spaces. Cancellous bone is lightweight and flexible, providing balance to the dense and heavy compact bone. It makes up about 20% of the human skeleton and is found in areas of the bone not subject to great mechanical stress. Cancellous bone is important for dampening sudden stresses and accommodating changing body needs.
The bone marrow found within cancellous bone is soft and plays a crucial role in the body. It is the site of haematopoiesis, where blood cells are formed and stored. Red bone marrow, found in some cancellous bones, produces red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
In summary, bones are made of both compact and cancellous tissue, each serving distinct functions. Compact bone provides strength and structural support, while cancellous bone offers flexibility and balance. Together, they contribute to the overall structure and function of the human skeleton.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, bones are covered by muscles. The skeletal muscles are attached to the bones by tendons, allowing us to move.
Skeletal muscles are the most common type of muscle in the human body. They are voluntary muscles, meaning that we can control how and when they work.
Bones provide support and structure to our bodies, helping to form our shape. They also protect our organs and store minerals.
There are 206 bones in the adult human skeleton.
Muscles move body parts by contracting and then relaxing. They work in pairs of flexors and extensors. For example, the bicep muscle in the front of the upper arm is a flexor, and the tricep is an extensor.
