The Skeleton

The skeleton protects and supports the human body. In mature adults, it contains 206 bones. These bones are held together by ligaments and serve as anchors for the tendons and connective tissues that hold muscle and other tissue in place.

The skeleton possesses two main parts: the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The axial skeleton consists of the skull, spine, sternum and ribs. It includes 80 bones. The appendicular skeleton consists of the shoulders, the pelvis, and associated limb bones. This part of the skeleton consists of 126 bones (64 in the shoulders and upper limbs; 62 in the pelvis and lower limbs).

The skeleton has four major functions:

• To support and protect the internal body organs.
• To aid in movement by providing a series of independently movable levers upon which the muscles pull.
• To produce red and white blood cells–these cells carry oxygen and fight infection.
• To retain many of the body’s essential minerals.

There are only minor differences between the male and female skeleton. The bones in the male skeleton tend to be slightly larger and heavier than the bones in the female skeleton. The females have a wider pelvis to accommodate childbirth.