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Bones, muscles, and joints make up the musculoskeletal system, which supports our bodies, enables movement, and protects our organs from injury. Bones are made of collagen, a protein that forms a flexible framework, and calcium phosphate, a mineral that makes them strong and hard. Bone cells are constantly replacing old or damaged bone and building new healthy bone tissue. Bones also contain bone marrow, which produces new red and white blood cells. Muscles, on the other hand, are attached to bones by tendons and move body parts by contracting and relaxing. They work in pairs of flexors and extensors to bend and straighten limbs at joints.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What they are made of | Bones are made of collagen (a protein that forms a flexible framework) and calcium phosphate (a mineral that makes them strong and hard). Muscles are made of skeletal muscle tissue, blood vessels, tendons, and nerves. |
| Their function | Bones give the body shape, hold the body upright, and protect internal organs. Muscles move body parts by contracting and relaxing, and they help the body perform functions like chewing food and moving it through the digestive system and helping the heart beat. |
| How they work together | Bones, muscles, and joints make up the musculoskeletal system. Bones and muscles work together to form lever systems. |
| Types | There are three types of muscle tissue: visceral, cardiac, and skeletal. |
| Muscle movement | Muscles work in pairs of flexors and extensors. The flexor contracts to bend a limb at a joint, then the flexor relaxes and the extensor contracts to extend or straighten the limb at the same joint. |
| Bone structure | Compact bone is the solid, hard outside part of the bone. Cancellous bone, which looks like a sponge, is inside compact bone. Bones are fastened to other bones by ligaments. |
| Bone function | Bones create new blood cells and store minerals like calcium and vitamin D. |
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What You'll Learn
Bones are made of collagen and calcium phosphate
The collagen in bones is primarily type I collagen, which makes up about 94% of the osteoid matrix. The osteoid matrix is the organic, non-mineral part of the bone and it plays a crucial role in bone formation. During bone development, osteoblasts rapidly produce osteoid, which initially forms all foetal bones. This osteoid matrix is then remodelled through a process called bone remodelling, where old or damaged bone is replaced by new, healthy bone tissue.
Calcium phosphate, on the other hand, is responsible for the hardness and rigidity of bones. It is a crystalline complex of calcium and phosphate ions, known as hydroxyapatite (HAp). HAp is the major inorganic component of hard tissues, including bones. It is stable under physiological conditions and easily synthesized from aqueous solutions, making it an important focus of bone regeneration research.
The combination of collagen and calcium phosphate in bones creates a strong and flexible structure. The collagen fibrils form a continuous network that provides the framework for the bone, while the calcium phosphate minerals fill in the matrix and give it strength. This composite material allows bones to withstand stress and strain, making them essential for our structural support and movement.
In addition to collagen and calcium phosphate, bones also contain other minerals such as carbonate, magnesium, sodium, and fluorine. These minerals contribute to the overall composition and properties of bone tissue. The amounts of certain vitamins and minerals in our diet, especially vitamin D and calcium, directly impact the calcium levels stored in our bones. Maintaining a healthy diet and adequate nutrient intake is crucial for bone health and preventing bone-related conditions.
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Tendons attach muscles to bones
Bones, muscles, and joints make up the musculoskeletal system, which supports our bodies, protects our organs from injury, and enables movement. Bones provide support for our bodies and help form our shape. They are also strong enough to support our entire weight. Bones are made up of collagen (a protein that forms a flexible framework) and calcium phosphate (a mineral that makes them strong and hard).
Muscles, on the other hand, move body parts by contracting and then relaxing. They can pull bones, but they can't push them back to their original position. So they work in pairs of flexors and extensors. The flexor contracts to bend a limb at a joint. Then, when the movement is complete, the flexor relaxes and the extensor contracts to extend or straighten the limb at the same joint.
Tendons are made of strong fibrous connective tissue and they attach muscles to bones. They come in many shapes and sizes. Some are flattened bands, while others are rounded cords. The shape of the enthesis (the region where a tendon attaches to a bone) 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. In contrast, the more rounded tendons at the wrist attach to bones in the hand in a more circumscribed fashion.
Tendons are something in between pure fibrous tissue and bone tissue. They are a kind of bridge between muscle and bone. The main protein in tendons is collagen, which is really stretchy and springy. There are also special kinds of fibres called Sharpey fibres, which are a cross between connective tissue and muscle fibres. These fibres are extremely durable and are the main structure responsible for the toughness and stability of the connection point between bone and muscle.
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Muscles contract and relax to move bones
The musculoskeletal system is made up of bones, muscles, and joints. Bones provide support for our bodies, help form our shape, and protect our organs. For example, the skull protects the brain and forms the shape of the face, while the spinal cord is protected by the backbone. Bones are made of collagen (a protein that forms a flexible framework) and calcium phosphate (a mineral that makes them strong and hard).
Muscles, on the other hand, move body parts by contracting and then relaxing. They pull bones and work in pairs of flexors and extensors. The flexor contracts to bend a limb at a joint, and when the movement is completed, the flexor relaxes, and the extensor contracts to extend or straighten the limb at the same joint. For example, when you bend your elbow, the biceps muscle (a flexor) contracts. Then, the biceps relaxes and the triceps muscle (an extensor) contracts to straighten the elbow.
The process of muscle contraction can be summarised in three steps:
- A message travels from the nervous system to the muscular system, triggering chemical reactions.
- The chemical reactions lead to the muscle fibres reorganising themselves in a way that shortens the muscle—that is the contraction.
- When the nervous system signal is no longer present, the chemical process reverses, and the muscle fibres rearrange again, causing the muscle to relax.
Muscles are attached to bones by cord-like tendons. Skeletal muscles are called striated because they are made up of fibres that have horizontal stripes when viewed under a microscope. Without bones and muscles, we wouldn't be able to stand, walk, run, or even sit.
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Bones protect internal organs
Bones, muscles, and joints make up the musculoskeletal system, which supports our bodies, protects our organs, and enables movement. Bones are strong tissues made of collagen, a protein that forms a flexible framework, and calcium phosphate, a mineral that makes them strong and hard.
The skull, for example, protects the brain and forms the shape of the face. The spinal cord, a pathway for messages between the brain and the body, is protected by the backbone, or spinal column. The ribs form a cage that shelters the heart and lungs, and the pelvis helps protect the bladder, part of the intestines, and in women, the reproductive organs.
The musculoskeletal system is more than just the bones in the skeleton. It also includes muscles, cartilage, and connective tissue like ligaments and tendons. Tendons are made of strong fibrous connective tissue and attach muscles to bones.
Muscles move body parts by contracting and then relaxing. They can pull bones, but they can't push them back to their original position. So they work in pairs of flexors and extensors. The flexor contracts to bend a limb at a joint. Then, when the movement is completed, the flexor relaxes and the extensor contracts to extend or straighten the limb at the same joint. 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 at your elbow, the biceps contracts. Then the biceps relaxes and the triceps contracts to straighten the elbow.
Bones also store calcium and release some into the bloodstream when it's needed by other parts of the body. The amounts of certain vitamins and minerals that you eat, especially vitamin D and calcium, directly affect how much calcium is stored in the bones.
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Bone marrow creates new blood cells
Bones and muscles, together with joints, make up the musculoskeletal system, which supports our bodies, helps form our shape, and enables movement. Bones are made of collagen, a protein that forms a flexible framework, and calcium phosphate, a mineral that makes them strong and hard. Bones also protect our organs from injury.
Bone marrow is a soft, fatty, spongy tissue found inside bones. It is responsible for creating new blood cells and fills the cavities of bones, holding cells that create red and white blood cells and platelets, which make whole blood. There are two types of bone marrow: red and yellow. Red bone marrow produces blood cells, while yellow bone marrow stores fat. Red bone marrow makes up all of the bone marrow until around age seven, after which yellow bone marrow gradually replaces it.
Bone marrow contains stem cells, which produce the body's red blood cells, platelets, and some types of white blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's tissues, platelets help with blood clotting, and white blood cells help the body fight infection. The bone marrow is constantly busy throughout a person's life, as it is responsible for replacing old blood cells with new ones.
Muscles, on the other hand, enable movement by contracting and then relaxing. They work in pairs of flexors and extensors. For example, the biceps muscle is a flexor, and the triceps are an extensor. When you bend your elbow, the flexor contracts, and then relaxes, allowing the extensor to contract and straighten the elbow.
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Frequently asked questions
Bones are made of a framework of collagen, a protein that forms a flexible structure, and calcium phosphate, a mineral that makes the framework hard and strong. Bones also store calcium and release it into the bloodstream when it is needed by other parts of the body.
There are three types of muscle tissue: visceral, cardiac, and skeletal. Skeletal muscles are made up of skeletal muscle tissue, blood vessels, tendons, and nerves. They are attached to bones and arranged in opposing groups around joints.
Bones, muscles, and joints work together to enable movement. Muscles move body parts by contracting and then relaxing. They can pull bones but cannot push them back to their original position, so they work in pairs of flexors and extensors. The flexor contracts to bend a limb at a joint, then the flexor relaxes and the extensor contracts to extend or straighten the limb at the same joint.
