Did You Know?The adult human body has 206 bones.There are 26 bones in the human foot.The human hand, including the wrist, contains 54 bones.The femur, or thighbone, is the longest and strongest bone of the human skeleton.The stapes, in the middle ear, is the smallest and lightest bone of the human skeleton.Arms are among the most commonly broken bones, accounting for almost half of all adults' broken bones. The collarbone is the most commonly broken bone among children.Bones stop growing in length during puberty. Bone density and strength will change over the course of life, however.The only bone in the human body not connected to another is the hyoid, a V-shaped bone located at the base of the tongue.What is a bone?The human skeleton is the internal frame, which supports the body. The human skeleton frame is made of many individual bones. At birth, humans have around 270 bones which decreases to around 206 bones by adulthood after some bones get fused together. Around 14 per cent of the total body weight is attributed to bone mass in the skeleton.Bones are made up of calcium, phosphorus, sodium and other minerals, as well as the protein collagen. Bones function as the skeleton of the human body, allow body parts to move and protect organs from impact damage.Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, and enable mobility.Bones come in a variety of shapes and sizes and have complex internal and external structures. They are lightweight yet strong and hard and serve multiple functions. There are five types of bones in the human body: long, short, flat, irregular, and sesamoidThe long bones, longer than they are wide, include the femur (the longest bone in the body) as well as relatively small bones in the fingers. Long bones function to support the weight of the body and facilitate movement. Long bones are mostly located in the appendicular skeleton and include bones in the lower limbs (the tibia, fibula, femur, metatarsals, and phalanges) and bones in the upper limbs (the humerus, radius, ulna, metacarpals, and phalanges).Short bones are about as long as they are wide. Located in the wrist and ankle joints, short bones provide stability and some movement. The carpals in the wrist (scaphoid, lunate, triquetral, hamate, pisiform, capitate, trapezoid, and trapezium) and the tarsals in the ankles (calcaneus, talus, navicular, cuboid, lateral cuneiform, intermediate cuneiform, and medial cuneiform) are examples of short bones.Flat bones are somewhat flattened, and can provide protection, like a shield; flat bones can also provide large areas of attachment for muscles. There are flat bones in the skull (occipital, parietal, frontal, nasal, lacrimal, and vomer), the thoracic cage (sternum and ribs) and the pelvis (ilium, ischium and pubis). The function of flat bones is to protect internal organs such as the brain, heart, and pelvic organs.Irregular bones vary in shape and structure and therefore do not fit into any other category (flat, short, long, or sesamoid). They often have a fairly complex shape, which helps protect internal organs. For example, the vertebrae, irregular bones of the vertebral column, protect the spinal cord. Like the flat bones the irregular bones of the pelvis also protect organs in the pelvic cavity.Sesamoid bones are bones embedded in tendons. These small, round bones are commonly found in the tendons of the hands, knees, and feet. Sesamoid bones function to protect tendons from stress and wear. The patella, commonly referred to as the kneecap, is an example of a sesamoid bone..What is a bone?The human skeleton is the internal frame, which supports the body. The human skeleton frame is made of many individual bones. At birth, humans have around 270 bones which decreases to around 206 bones by adulthood after some bones get fused together. Around 14 per cent of the total body weight is attributed to bone mass in the skeleton.Bones are made up of calcium, phosphorus, sodium and other minerals, as well as the protein collagen. Bones function as the skeleton of the human body, allow body parts to move and protect organs from impact damage.Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, and enable mobility.Bones come in a variety of shapes and sizes and have complex internal and external structures. They are lightweight yet strong and hard and serve multiple functions. There are five types of bones in the human body: long, short, flat, irregular, and sesamoidThe long bones, longer than they are wide, include the femur (the longest bone in the body) as well as relatively small bones in the fingers. Long bones function to support the weight of the body and facilitate movement. Long bones are mostly located in the appendicular skeleton and include bones in the lower limbs (the tibia, fibula, femur, metatarsals, and phalanges) and bones in the upper limbs (the humerus, radius, ulna, metacarpals, and phalanges).Short bones are about as long as they are wide. Located in the wrist and ankle joints, short bones provide stability and some movement. The carpals in the wrist (scaphoid, lunate, triquetral, hamate, pisiform, capitate, trapezoid, and trapezium) and the tarsals in the ankles (calcaneus, talus, navicular, cuboid, lateral cuneiform, intermediate cuneiform, and medial cuneiform) are examples of short bones.Flat bones are somewhat flattened, and can provide protection, like a shield; flat bones can also provide large areas of attachment for muscles. There are flat bones in the skull (occipital, parietal, frontal, nasal, lacrimal, and vomer), the thoracic cage (sternum and ribs) and the pelvis (ilium, ischium and pubis). The function of flat bones is to protect internal organs such as the brain, heart, and pelvic organs.Irregular bones vary in shape and structure and therefore do not fit into any other category (flat, short, long, or sesamoid). They often have a fairly complex shape, which helps protect internal organs. For example, the vertebrae, irregular bones of the vertebral column, protect the spinal cord. Like the flat bones the irregular bones of the pelvis also protect organs in the pelvic cavity.Sesamoid bones are bones embedded in tendons. These small, round bones are commonly found in the tendons of the hands, knees, and feet. Sesamoid bones function to protect tendons from stress and wear. The patella, commonly referred to as the kneecap, is an example of a sesamoid bone..Bone tissueThe different layers of bone tissue includePeriosteum - the dense, tough outer shell that contains blood vessels and nervesCompact or dense tissue - the hard, smooth layer that protects the tissue withinSpongy or cancellous tissue - the porous, honeycombed material found inside most bones, which allows the bone to be strong yet lightweightBone marrow - the jelly-like substance found inside the cavities of some bones (including the pelvis) that produces blood cells.Bone cellsThere are three types of cells that contribute to bone regeneration.Osteoblasts - The cells that create bone tissueOsteocytes - The cells that keep the bone tissue healthy by regulating the amount of calcium and minerals.Osteoclasts - The cells that degrade ageing bone tissue. Bone marrowBone marrow is where blood cells are made. The three different types of blood cell made by bone marrow include:Red blood cells - carry oxygen around the body.White blood cells - make up the body's immune system.Platelets - are used for clotting..Bone related issuesSome conditions of bone include:Fractures - broken bones of various typesOsteoporosis - loss of bone density and strengthOsteomyelitis infection of the boneOsteitis bone inflammation, for example, Paget's disease of the boneAcromegaly - overgrowth of bones in the face, hands and feetFibrous dysplasia - abnormal growth or swelling of boneRickets - a child's growing bones fail to develop due to a lack of vitamin DMultiple myeloma - cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrowBone cancer - primary bone cancers include osteosarcomas and chondrosarcomas. However, most cancers found in bone have spread from other organs such as the breast, prostate, lung or kidney.
Did You Know?The adult human body has 206 bones.There are 26 bones in the human foot.The human hand, including the wrist, contains 54 bones.The femur, or thighbone, is the longest and strongest bone of the human skeleton.The stapes, in the middle ear, is the smallest and lightest bone of the human skeleton.Arms are among the most commonly broken bones, accounting for almost half of all adults' broken bones. The collarbone is the most commonly broken bone among children.Bones stop growing in length during puberty. Bone density and strength will change over the course of life, however.The only bone in the human body not connected to another is the hyoid, a V-shaped bone located at the base of the tongue.What is a bone?The human skeleton is the internal frame, which supports the body. The human skeleton frame is made of many individual bones. At birth, humans have around 270 bones which decreases to around 206 bones by adulthood after some bones get fused together. Around 14 per cent of the total body weight is attributed to bone mass in the skeleton.Bones are made up of calcium, phosphorus, sodium and other minerals, as well as the protein collagen. Bones function as the skeleton of the human body, allow body parts to move and protect organs from impact damage.Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, and enable mobility.Bones come in a variety of shapes and sizes and have complex internal and external structures. They are lightweight yet strong and hard and serve multiple functions. There are five types of bones in the human body: long, short, flat, irregular, and sesamoidThe long bones, longer than they are wide, include the femur (the longest bone in the body) as well as relatively small bones in the fingers. Long bones function to support the weight of the body and facilitate movement. Long bones are mostly located in the appendicular skeleton and include bones in the lower limbs (the tibia, fibula, femur, metatarsals, and phalanges) and bones in the upper limbs (the humerus, radius, ulna, metacarpals, and phalanges).Short bones are about as long as they are wide. Located in the wrist and ankle joints, short bones provide stability and some movement. The carpals in the wrist (scaphoid, lunate, triquetral, hamate, pisiform, capitate, trapezoid, and trapezium) and the tarsals in the ankles (calcaneus, talus, navicular, cuboid, lateral cuneiform, intermediate cuneiform, and medial cuneiform) are examples of short bones.Flat bones are somewhat flattened, and can provide protection, like a shield; flat bones can also provide large areas of attachment for muscles. There are flat bones in the skull (occipital, parietal, frontal, nasal, lacrimal, and vomer), the thoracic cage (sternum and ribs) and the pelvis (ilium, ischium and pubis). The function of flat bones is to protect internal organs such as the brain, heart, and pelvic organs.Irregular bones vary in shape and structure and therefore do not fit into any other category (flat, short, long, or sesamoid). They often have a fairly complex shape, which helps protect internal organs. For example, the vertebrae, irregular bones of the vertebral column, protect the spinal cord. Like the flat bones the irregular bones of the pelvis also protect organs in the pelvic cavity.Sesamoid bones are bones embedded in tendons. These small, round bones are commonly found in the tendons of the hands, knees, and feet. Sesamoid bones function to protect tendons from stress and wear. The patella, commonly referred to as the kneecap, is an example of a sesamoid bone..What is a bone?The human skeleton is the internal frame, which supports the body. The human skeleton frame is made of many individual bones. At birth, humans have around 270 bones which decreases to around 206 bones by adulthood after some bones get fused together. Around 14 per cent of the total body weight is attributed to bone mass in the skeleton.Bones are made up of calcium, phosphorus, sodium and other minerals, as well as the protein collagen. Bones function as the skeleton of the human body, allow body parts to move and protect organs from impact damage.Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, and enable mobility.Bones come in a variety of shapes and sizes and have complex internal and external structures. They are lightweight yet strong and hard and serve multiple functions. There are five types of bones in the human body: long, short, flat, irregular, and sesamoidThe long bones, longer than they are wide, include the femur (the longest bone in the body) as well as relatively small bones in the fingers. Long bones function to support the weight of the body and facilitate movement. Long bones are mostly located in the appendicular skeleton and include bones in the lower limbs (the tibia, fibula, femur, metatarsals, and phalanges) and bones in the upper limbs (the humerus, radius, ulna, metacarpals, and phalanges).Short bones are about as long as they are wide. Located in the wrist and ankle joints, short bones provide stability and some movement. The carpals in the wrist (scaphoid, lunate, triquetral, hamate, pisiform, capitate, trapezoid, and trapezium) and the tarsals in the ankles (calcaneus, talus, navicular, cuboid, lateral cuneiform, intermediate cuneiform, and medial cuneiform) are examples of short bones.Flat bones are somewhat flattened, and can provide protection, like a shield; flat bones can also provide large areas of attachment for muscles. There are flat bones in the skull (occipital, parietal, frontal, nasal, lacrimal, and vomer), the thoracic cage (sternum and ribs) and the pelvis (ilium, ischium and pubis). The function of flat bones is to protect internal organs such as the brain, heart, and pelvic organs.Irregular bones vary in shape and structure and therefore do not fit into any other category (flat, short, long, or sesamoid). They often have a fairly complex shape, which helps protect internal organs. For example, the vertebrae, irregular bones of the vertebral column, protect the spinal cord. Like the flat bones the irregular bones of the pelvis also protect organs in the pelvic cavity.Sesamoid bones are bones embedded in tendons. These small, round bones are commonly found in the tendons of the hands, knees, and feet. Sesamoid bones function to protect tendons from stress and wear. The patella, commonly referred to as the kneecap, is an example of a sesamoid bone..Bone tissueThe different layers of bone tissue includePeriosteum - the dense, tough outer shell that contains blood vessels and nervesCompact or dense tissue - the hard, smooth layer that protects the tissue withinSpongy or cancellous tissue - the porous, honeycombed material found inside most bones, which allows the bone to be strong yet lightweightBone marrow - the jelly-like substance found inside the cavities of some bones (including the pelvis) that produces blood cells.Bone cellsThere are three types of cells that contribute to bone regeneration.Osteoblasts - The cells that create bone tissueOsteocytes - The cells that keep the bone tissue healthy by regulating the amount of calcium and minerals.Osteoclasts - The cells that degrade ageing bone tissue. Bone marrowBone marrow is where blood cells are made. The three different types of blood cell made by bone marrow include:Red blood cells - carry oxygen around the body.White blood cells - make up the body's immune system.Platelets - are used for clotting..Bone related issuesSome conditions of bone include:Fractures - broken bones of various typesOsteoporosis - loss of bone density and strengthOsteomyelitis infection of the boneOsteitis bone inflammation, for example, Paget's disease of the boneAcromegaly - overgrowth of bones in the face, hands and feetFibrous dysplasia - abnormal growth or swelling of boneRickets - a child's growing bones fail to develop due to a lack of vitamin DMultiple myeloma - cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrowBone cancer - primary bone cancers include osteosarcomas and chondrosarcomas. However, most cancers found in bone have spread from other organs such as the breast, prostate, lung or kidney.