Human Osteology (Bones)

    What can bones tell us? Bones can tell us the age, sex, cause of death, trauma, life history of health and disease and cultural modifications such as braces and hip replacements



What is osteoclast, Osteoblast, and Osteocytes?

    • Osteocytes (Mature Bone Cells):  Mature bone cells that maintain the bone matrix.
    • Osteoclasts (Bone Destroyer):  Secrete acids and protein-digesting enzymes.
    • Osteoblasts (Immature bone and Bone forming Cells and immature) Immature bone cells that secrete matrix compounds.

 What are the different types of bones? Ex.

 Flat bones, long bones, short bones, and irregular bones.

    Long bones:  Typically longer than wide, have a shaft with heads at one end and Contain mostly compact bone. Ex. Femur, humerus, radius and Ulna
    Short bones:  Generally cube-shape and Contain mostly spongy bone Examples: Carpals, tarsals, metatarsals and Metacarpals
    Flat bones: Thin and flattened usually curved, and thin layers of compact bone around a layer of spongy bone Examples: Skull, ribs, and sternum.
    Irregular bones: Irregular shape and do not fit into other bone classification categories Example: Vertebrae, scapula, and hip
    What are the two of bone tissue: Compact and Spongy bones

Please know the structure of a long bone (slide 5)

•       Diaphysis

–     The shaft

–     A heavy wall of compact bone, or dense bone

–     A central space called medullary (marrow) cavity

•      Epiphysis

–     Wide part at each end

–     Articulation with other bones

–     Mostly spongy (cancellous) bone

–     Covered with thin layer of compact bone (cortex)

•      Epiphyseal line – remnant of epiphyseal disk/plate

–     Cartilage at the junction of the diaphysis and epiphyses (growth plate)



Know these what bones articulate (how they connect to each other) with other, what we can learn from them and their overall shape.

    Scapula:  What bones articulate with this scapula: Makes up the Pectoral Girdle and articulates with the humerus at the proximal end and the Clavicle. Shape:  Broad, flat triangles
    Clavicle: Long, S-shaped bone which articulates with the scapula.
    Humerus:  Shape: Long bone with a shaft and a ball joint at the proximal end and a hinged joint at the distal end. It articulates with the Scapula at the proximal end and the radius and ulna at the distal end
    Radius: shape: long bone with a rounded head at the proximal end and a flat and flaring out to one side distal end. It articulates with the Humerus at the proximal end and the carpals at the distal
     Ulna: Shape: long bone with a hook shape head at the proximal end with a rounded bottom at the distal end. It articulates with the Humerus at the proximal end and the carpals at the distal end.
    What can we determine from the femur? The femur articulates with the pelvis at the proximal end and the Tibia and Fibula at the distal end. Sex, Age and stature can be estimated from this bone.





     What can we determine from the Tibia and fibula? The Tibia and Fibula articulates with the femur at the proximal end and the tarsal at the distal end. Sex, Age and stature can be estimated from this bone.