• consists of 80 named bones
• forms longitudinal axis of body
• includes: hyoid, vertebral column, & thoracic cage

**Protect brain, attachment sites for forehead and neck muscles.

 8 bones:

• Frontal (1)
• Patietal (2)
• Occipital (1)
• Temporal (2)
• Sphenoid (1)
• Ethmoid (1)

* forms anterior cranium & superior part of orbits

* contains frontal sinuses

*thickened supraorbital margins deep to the eyebrows

*articulates posteriorly with parietal bones via coronal suture

• 2 bones; form superior and lateral parts of skull
• form superiorly to form the sagittal suture
• artiulate posteriorly with occipital none via lambdoidal suture
• articulate laterally with temporal bones iva squamosal suture

• articulates anteriorally with parietal bone via lambdodial suture and temporal bones via oscipitomastoid suture
• foramen magnum allows brain stem to connect to spinal cord
• occipital condyles articulate with 1st vertebra [atlas]; permit nodding (movement of the head) 

• 2 bones; form the inferolateral part of skull
• articulates with occipital, parietal, sphenoid, zygomatic, and mandible

• zygomatic process: anterior projection; joins zygomatic bone to form zygomatic arch
• mandibular fossa: depression, recieves mandibular condyle
• external acoustic meatus: ear canal
• styloid process: needle-like projectionl attachment site of hyoid bone; muscles of neck and tongue
• mastoid: contain mastoid sinuses

• 1 bone; bat-shaped; keystone of cranium
• articulates with all other cranial bones
• consists of a body and 3 pairs of processes [lesser and greater wings & pterygoid process]

• sella turcia: depression containing pitutitary gland
• optical canal: passageway for optic nerves
• superior orbital fissure: allows cranial nerves to enter and orbit

• separates the nasal cavity from the brain
• Articulates with the frontal, the sphenoid, two Nasal bones, two maxillae, two lacrimals, two palatines, two inferior nasal conchae, and the vomer.
• Landmarks:
• cribiform plates: superior; contain olfactory formina thorough which olfactory nerves enter brain.
• Crista galli: projects superiorly between the cribiformal.

The hand bones

*The carpus, metacarpus, & phalanges

-Carpus: 2 rows of 8 carpals; articulates distally with metacarpus

-Metacrpus (palm): 5 metacarpals

-phalanges (phalanx)-fingers

Pelvic Girdle

(coxal bones)

• attaches lower limbs to the axial skeleton; less flexible, but more stable than pectoral girdle
• each coxal bone composed of 3 fused bones: ilium[crest of hips], ischium[butt bone], pubic

• superior; consists of body an dala (flared portion)
• landmarks: 

Iliac crest {thickest superior margin of ala}

    Greater Sciatic notch {passageway for sciatic nerve}

    Auriculur Surface

• Inferior; consists of body & ramus (joins to pubic creating the obturator foramen)
• Landmarks

• anterior; pubic bones joined anteriorly at pubic symphysis (fibrocartilage)
• pubic arch differs by sex
• female: 80-90%
• male: 50-60%

• articulates proximately with coxal bone and distally with tibia
• femur is convex anteriorly 
• proximal landmarks

• distal landmarks

1. medial/lateral condyles: articulates with tibia
2. medial/lateral epicondyles: superior to condyles
3. intercondylar fossa: posterior depression between condyles
4. patellar surfact: articulates aneriorly with patella

• medial; articulates proximately with femur and distally with Talus
• proximal landmarks:

1. medial/lateral condyles: articulates with condyles of femur
2. tibial tuberosity: anterior projection; attachment site for patellar ligament

• medial landmarks:

1. anterior border

• distal landmarks:

*thin, lateral; articulates proximately with tibia & distally with Tibia & Talus [ankle]

*proximal landmarks:

-head

*distal landmarks:

-lateral malleolus (lateral ankle)

*tarsus: (7) body weight carried by primarily by 2 largest bones: Talus (ankle) & calcaneus (heel) 

*metatarsus: (5) articulates distally with phalanges

*phalanges

*soft spots

*fibrous membranes that allow compression of head at birth

*replaced with bone

1. anterior fontanel

2. posterior fontanel

3. sphenoid fontanel

4. mastoid fontanel

maxilla

*upper jaw; fused medially; keystone of the face

*landmarks:

-alveolar margin: contains sockets for teeth

-palatine process- forms anterior 2/3 of hard palate

*located in frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid, and maxillae

*small openings connect sinuses to nasal cavity

(allows mucus drainage)

*functions to lighten skull & enhance resonance of voice

*single U-shaped bone; inferior to mandibleL anterior to vertebral column

*only bone that does not articulate with anything

*fracture = strangulation 

*cervical vertebrae (C1-C7)

*thoracic (T1-T12)

*lumbar (L1-L5)

*sacrum (5 fused vertebrae)

*coccyx (4 fused vertebrae) 

-vertebrae held together by ligaments and separated by intervertebral discs

concave posteriorly

*curvatures increase resilience and

flexibility of spine 

convex posteriorly

*curvatures increase resilience and

flexibility of spine 

Cervical Vertebrae 

Descriptions 

*C1

*no body

*no spinous process 

(big vertebral foramen)

*C2

*body has superior projection

*allows head to rotate

Thoracic Vertebrae

descriptions

body

spinous 

vertebral foramen

transverse process

Lumbar vertebrae 

descriptions

body

spinous 

vertebral foramen

*large triangular bone

*forms posterior wall of pelvis

(tailbone)

small triangular bone

*protects organs of thorax

*made up of sternum and ribs

1. Sternum: (breast bone)

-Manubrium: superior; articulates with clavicals & first 2 pair of ribs

-body: middle; articulates with 2nd-7th pair of ribs

-Xiphoid process: inferior

2. Ribs: articulates with thoracic vertebrae

-true ribs/vertebrosternal (1-7)

-false ribs: no direct attachment

-vertebrochondral (8-10)

-vertebral (11-12) not attached anteriorly

*pectoral girdle

*upper limbs

*pelvic girdle

*lower limbs

-attaches upper limbs to axial skeleton

-includes: clavicles, scapulae

-part of pectoral girdle

-"collar bones"

-attached medially to manubrium

-laterally to acromion process [enlarged end of spine; articulate with clavicle]

-function: holds arms out laterally

-easily fractured

scapulae

-part of pectoral girdle

-"shoulder blades"

-triangular shaped, flat bone

-landmarks:

*glenoid cavity: articulates with humerus

*coracoid processs: anchors biceps muscle

-articulates proximately with scapula and distally with radius and ulna

-proximal landmarks:

*head: fits into glenoid cavity

-medial landmarks:

*deltoid tuberosity: attachment site of deltoid muscle

-distal landmarks:

*capitulum (lateral condyle; articulates w/ radius)

*trochlea (medial condyle; articulates w/ ulna)

*lateral & medial epichondyles

*olecranon fossa

-medial

-proximal landmarks:

*olecranon (elbow)

*radial notch (depression; articulates w/

head of radius)

-lateral

-proximal landmarks:

*head

*radial tuberosity: anchors biceps muscle

-distal landmarks:

*ulnar notch

*styloid process