Lesson 4
The Human Skeletal System

4.1 General Information

The skeleton serves as a support or framework of the human body. It is a combination of bones joined together.

The human skeleton serves the following functions:

a. Bodily Support. The skeletal system provides a framework for the human body.

b. Protection. The skeleton protects certain soft structures within the human body. An example is the skull, which surrounds the brain.

c. Motion. Muscles are attached to and move the bones. Bones provide leverage for motion.

d. Formation of Blood Cells (Hematopoiesis). Blood cells are manufactured in the red bone marrow, mainly found in flat bones.

In this text, we study the skeletal system from four different viewpoints:

a. Bone As Tissues. This aspect of the human skeletal system was discussed in paragraph 2-11 and will not be further discussed here.

b. Bone As An Individual Organ. Section II of this lesson discusses bone as an individual organ.

c. Articulations (Joints)--Arthrology. Section III of this lesson introduces the study of joints, or arthrology.

d. The Human Skeleton. Section IV of this lesson discusses the human skeleton as a whole in terms of its major subdivisions.