Human Body Systems: Structure and Movement

The Skeletal System

The bones in your body are alive. They are made of living tissues and cells. Bone cells take in nutrients and use energy just like other body cells.

Do you have any idea how many bones you have?

Did you realize that the number of bones you have changes from when youre a baby to when youre grown up?

Babies start out with over 300 bones. Since babies have a lot of growing to do, some of the bones theyll have as adults start out in multiple pieces. Over time, these bones grow together to form one larger bone. By the time youre an adult, youll have exactly 206 bones. Over half of those bones can be found in your hands and feet!

Imagine what it would be like if you didnt have any bonesYou wouldnt be able to stand up, walk, or sit in a chair. You would look just like a blob of skin. However if we didnt have bones, it would affect more than just our appearance. Bones have several important functions.

Functions of Skeletal System

The skeleton gives shape and support to your body. Bones protect your internal organs. For example, your skull protects your brain. Major muscles are attached to bone and help them move. Our bones are also responsible for making our blood. In the middle of our bones is a spongy substance called marrow. It is here that the body makes millions of new blood cells every day to send out to the rest of your body. Large quantities of calcium and phosphorous are stored in the skeleton for later use. (They are also what makes bones hard.)

Bone Structure
The outer surface of a bone is a tough, tight-fitting membrane called the periosteum. It contains nerves and blood vessels and nourishes the bone. Directly under the periosteum is a layer of bone tissue called compact bone. It gives bones strength. This is the part you see when you look at a skeleton. Spongy bone is located toward the ends of long bones. It has many small open spaces that make bones lightweight.

Bone Structure
The innermost part of many bones contains bone marrow. Bone marrow is sort of like a thick jelly, and its job is to make blood cells. The ends of bones are covered with a smooth, slippery, thick layer of tissue called cartilage. It acts as a shock absorber and makes movement easier by reducing friction that would be caused by bones rubbing together at joints. Bones are held in place at joints by tough bands of tissue called ligaments.

Bone Formation
Some of a baby's bones are made entirely of soft, flexible cartilage. Other bones in a baby are partly made of cartilage. During childhood, as you are growing, the cartilage is slowly replaced by bone. Bone-forming cells called osteoblasts deposit calcium and phosphorus in bones, making the bone tissue hard. Healthy bone tissue is always being formed and reformed. Osteoclasts are cells that help to sculpt and shape bone by breaking down bone tissue. When osteoclasts break bone down, they also release the stored calcium and phosphorus into the bloodstream where it can be used.

Skeleton Humor

The Muscular System

Did you know you have more than 600 muscles in your body? Some are voluntary muscles that you can control. You use voluntary muscles to help you lift a heavy backpack, climb a mountain, smile Other muscles are involuntary and cant be controlled consciously. Your heart pumps blood throughout your body and is an example of an involuntary muscle. A muscle is an organ that can relax, contract, and provide the force to move your body parts.

Classification of Muscle Tissue

Three different types of muscles: smooth, cardiac, and skeletal.
Smooth muscles are involuntary and are found in your internal organs. Cardiac muscle is found only in the heart. Skeletal muscles are the muscles that show how strong you are. They move bones. Tendons attach skeletal muscles to bones.

Musculoskeletal System Quick Review

Dying to Be Strong
by Elizabeth Foy Larsen

The Skin
Your skin is the largest organ of your body. Skin is made up of three layers of tissue: the epidermis, the dermis, and a fatty layer.

Skin Structures
The epidermis is the thinnest outer layer. Cells in the epidermis produce melanina pigment that protects your skin and gives it color. The dermis is the thick layer below the epidermis. It contains blood vessels, nerves, muscles, oil, and sweat glands. Below the dermis is a fatty layer. It insulates the body and is where fat is often stored when a person gains weight.

Skin Functions
The skin carries out several major functions: protection, sensory response, formation of vitamin D, regulation of body temperature, and ridding the body of wastes.