This unit centered around the skeletal system: microscopic/ macroscopic characteristics, understanding various disorders, different types of bones, roles of vitamins/cells/ the environment impact, bone repair, and different types of joints. On a microscopic level our bones consist of cells, blood vessels, and matrix. There are three types of bone cells (osteocyctes, osteoblasts and osteoclasts). They are responsible for structure, bone formation, and breaking down our bones for remodeling/release of calcium, respectively. Owl Pellet Lab
The macroscopic anatomy of our bones include the categorization of bone types: long(arms, legs, shaft at both ends), short (carpals/ tarsals/ cube-shaped), flat(skull/ribs/thin and flattened) and irregular(hip/vertebrae). We conducted a Owl Pellet Lab in order to investigate the various bone structures and identify which rodent the owl may have eaten. Here is a link for more detail:In the second chapter, we studied the disorders of the skeletal system and how they affect different types or parts of bones. When our joints become inflamed from age, trauma, or infection, we can contract a very common disorder of arthritis. Bones can also become porous and lose substantial amount of calcium resulting in osteoporosis. A key element to the structure and function of our body is the spinal cord and in some cases the spine may become curved abnormally (scoliosis) or a hump may form above the normal curvature (kyphosis). Bones can also be weakened from lake of Vitamin D or exercise. Exercise is crucially important because it helps with the formation of muscles AND bones. When we continuously use our bone, we build up bone density and decrease the amount of space in the bone matrix. Calcium is essential to our bones as a process called calcitonin occurs in our thyroid gland and inhibits osteoclasts from breaking down bone tissue. We also examined the skeleton of the human body, observing and identifying the bones all the way from the frontal bone on the top of the head to the phalanges on your feet. Here is a diagram on the right showing the various names for bones in the human body. I wonder why we have false and floating ribs under our 12 pairs of ribs, and what those two bones functions are.
