Overview of the

musculoskeletal system

for year 1 medicine

by: Zelalem.a
 Skeletal system
The skeletal system consists of bones and
other structures that make up the joints of the
skeleton.
The types of tissue present are:
bone tissue,
cartilage, and
fibrous connective tissue, which forms the
ligaments that connect bone to bone.
 FUNCTIONS OF THE SKELETON
1. Provides a framework that supports the body; the
muscles that are attached to bones move the
skeleton.

2. Protects some internal organs from mechanical

injury; for example the rib cage protects the heart
and lungs,.

3. Contains and protects the red bone marrow, the

primary hemopoietic (blood-forming) tissue.

4. Provides a storage site for excess calcium.

 Classification of bone
1. Long bones
the bones of the arms, legs, hands, and feet (but not
the wrists and ankles).
The shaft of a long bone is the diaphysis, and the
ends are called epiphyses
2. Short bones
the bones of the wrists and ankles.
3. Flat bones
the ribs, shoulder blades, hip bones, and cranial
bones.
4. Irregular bones
the vertebrae and facial bones.
 Histology of bone
Bone is a specialized connective tissue
composed of calcified intercellular material,
the bone matrix, and three cell types:

Osteocytes (Gr. osteon, bone + kytos, cell), which

are found in cavities (lacunae) between layers
(lamellae) of bone matrix.
 Osteoblasts (osteon + Gr. blastos, germ), which
synthesize the organic components of the matrix

Osteoclasts (osteon + Gr. klastos, broken), which

are multi-nucleated giant cells involved in the
resorption and remodeling of bone tissue.
 Osteogenesis
Bone can be formed initially by either of two
ways:
Intramembranous ossification, in which
osteoblasts differentiate directly from
mesenchyme and begin secreting osteoid.

Endochondral ossification, in which the matrix of

preexisting hyaline cartilage is eroded and
replaced by osteoblasts producing osteoid.
 Intramembranous Ossification
most flat bones are produced,

is so called because it takes place within

condensations of embryonic mesenchymal tissue.

The frontal and parietal bones of the skullas

well as parts of the occipital and temporal bones
and the mandible and maxillaare formed by
intramembranous ossification
a): Groups of
mesenchymal cells in a
"membrane" or sheet of
this embryonic tissue,
round up and
differentiate as
osteoblasts producing
osteoid.

(b): Cells trapped in the

calcifying matrix
differentiate as
osteocytes
(c): Woven bone is produced
in this manner, with
vascularized internal spaces
that will form the marrow
cavity and surrounded on
both sides by developing
periosteum.

(d): Remodeling of the woven

bone produces the two
layers of compact lamellar
bone with cancellous bone
in between, which is
characteristic of these flat
bones.
 Endochondral Ossification
ossification takes place within a piece of
hyaline cartilage whose shape resembles a
small version, or model, of the bone to be
formed.

This type of ossification is principally

responsible for the formation of short and
long bones.
 (1). The process takes many
weeks and major
developmental stages
include: formation of a bone
collar around the middle of
the cartilage model and
degeneration of the
underlying cartilage

(2), followed by invasion of

the resulting ossification
center by capillaries and
osteoprogenitor cells from
the periosteum
 (3), osteoid deposition by
the new osteoblasts,
calcification of woven bone,
and its remodeling as
compact bone

(4). This primary

ossification center develops
in the diaphysis, along the
middle of each developing
bone.
Secondary ossification
centers develop somewhat
later by a similar process in
the epiphyses. The primary
and secondary ossification
centers are separated by
the epiphyseal plate
 (5) which provides for
continued bone
elongation. The two
ossification centers do
not merge until the
epiphyseal plate
disappears

(6) when full stature is

achieved.
 The human skeleton has two divisions:
the axial skeleton, which forms the axis of the
body,
consists of the skull, vertebral column, and
rib cage.
the appendicular skeleton, which supports the
appendages or limbs.
The bones of the arms and legs and the
shoulder and pelvic girdles make up the
appendicular skeleton.
 Joints
the rigid elements of the skeleton meet at
sites called joints, or articulations.

The Greek root arthro means joint, and the

scientific study of joints is called arthrology
(ar-throlo-je).
 It is the articulation of bones at joints and the
contraction of skeletal muscles that attach to
the bones that cause movement.
 CLASSIFICATION OF JOINTS
Joints can be classified either by function or
structure.

The functional classification focuses on the

amount of movement allowed. Accordingly,
synarthroses - are immovable joints,
amphiarthroses - are slightly movable joints, and
diarthroses- are freely movable joints.
 Diarthroses predominate in the limbs,
whereas synarthroses and amphiarthroses are
largely restricted to the axial skeleton.
 The structural classification is based on the
material that binds the bones together and on
the presence or absence of a joint cavity.
Structurally, joints are classified as
fibrous,
cartilaginous, or
synovial joints
Muscular system