The skeletal system is one of the most significant ones in the body, along with the muscular and nervous ones. This paper provides detailed information about it, addressing its anatomical location and description, cells and tissues present in it, and the functions it has. Moreover, the report features data about homeostasis and its benefits. The paper concludes that the skeletal system is crucial for the body’s well-being.
The Information About the Skeletal System
Anatomical Location
The skeletal system can be considered a framework of the body. Therefore, it is located anterior to many of the organs. Some bones of the skeletal system, for example, those positioned in the upper part of the body, serve as a protective cage for several organs, including the heart and the lungs. At the same time, the skeletal system is posterior to some of the organs, such as the intestines.
Anatomical Description
The skeletal system includes all the joints and bones in the body. Adult bodies have 206 individual bones arranged into the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton (Barclay, 2019). The first skeleton is located along the human body’s midline axis and involves 80 bones located in the ribs, skull, auditory ossicles, hyoid, sternum, and vertebral column. The second skeleton has 126 bones in the pelvic girdle, lower and upper limbs, and shoulder girdle (Barclay, 2019). The skeletal system includes long, short, irregular, flat, and sesamoid bones, which differ in their sizes and functions.
Cells and Tissues Present in the Skeletal System
The skeletal system has bones, which, in turn, are made of several types of tissues. They include fibrous connective tissue that makes up ligaments and the tendons and the periosteum, irregular connective tissue covering the outside of a bone (Warren, 2019). The periosteum contains nervous tissue and nerve endings, which provide the body with pain sensitivity. Moreover, the bones contain stem cells and osteoblast cells involved in the processes of the growth and repair, as well as osteocytes maintaining the strength of the bones (Warren, 2019). Living bone cells are located on the edges of the bones and in cavities inside of the bone matrix.
Functions of the Skeletal System
There are several significant functions of the skeletal system that should be noted. First, the bones belonging to the system compose the skeleton, which provides the support and structure for the body (Bailey, 2019). Second, as mentioned above, the skeletal system protects organs, blood cells, and soft tissues of the body. For instance, in addition to the rib cage protecting the lungs, the vertebral column protects the spinal cord from possible damages. The third function is mobility; the bones of the system work with skeletal muscles and other skeletal components to enable body movement (Bailey, 2019). Finally, bones can store the minerals playing a significant role for the body, including calcium, responsible for the firmness of bones.
Homeostasis
The bones of the skeletal system have several functions maintaining homeostasis in the body. First, they supply oxygen and nutrients to cells (Sivan, De Angelis, & Kusumbe, 2019). Second, as mentioned above, they store calcium and phosphorous, which are crucial for proper nerve impulse conduction and muscle contraction. Third, the skeletal system produces new red blood cells (American Society of Hematology, 2019). Moreover, the fact that the skeletal system protects organs from damage is also a significant part of homeostasis. If the system could not maintain homeostasis, it would cause severe problems in the body, which will be discussed in detail below.
Prediction
As mentioned above, the skeletal system maintains homeostasis by protecting the organs of the body, which is highly significant. For instance, bones protect the brain, as any harm to this organ may result in highly adverse consequences for an individual’s well-being (Roberts, Henry, & Molenberghs, 2018). Moreover, the production of red blood cells is highly crucial for the body, as they contain hemoglobin. Without it, oxygen cannot be carried from the lungs to the rest of the body (American Society of Hematology, 2019). Thus, the skeletal system plays a significant role in maintaining homeostasis.
Disease
One of the diseases affecting the skeletal system is osteoporosis. As a result of this condition, the bones become prone to fracture and fragile (Healthline Media, 2015). The bones of an individual living with osteoporosis have abnormal tissue structure and decreased density. As a result, they may break easily; the bone breaks typically occur in the spine and the hip (Healthline Media, 2015). Thus, as a result of the condition, a person’s skeletal system becomes weakened, which means that it is crucial to prevent this disease.
Conclusion
The skeletal system, consisting of 206 bones, is one of the most significant systems of the body. Its functions include protecting the organs from damage, supporting the structure of the body, ensuring mobility, and storing minerals. The system maintains homeostasis by producing new blood cells and supplying oxygen and nutrients. The skeletal system may be affected by osteoporosis, which results in proneness to fracture and weakness of the bones.
References
American Society of Hematology. (2019). Blood basics. Web.
Bailey, R. (2019). Skeletal system and bone function. Web.
Barclay, T. (2019). Skeletal system. Web.
Healthline Media. (2015). Skeletal system. Web.
Roberts, S., Henry, J. D., & Molenberghs, P. (2018). Immoral behavior following brain damage: A review. Journal of Neuropsychology, 13(3), 564-588.
Sivan, U., De Angelis, J., & Kusumbe, A. P. (2019). Role of angiocrine signals in bone development, homeostasis and disease. Open Biology, 9. Web.
Warren, A. (2019). Human skeleton. Web.