FUNCTIONS OF SKELETON IN MAMMALS

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The skeleton serves six major functions: 
🔷 Support 
🔷 Movement 
🔷Protection 
🔷Production of blood cells 
🔷Storage of minerals 
🔷Endocrine regulation.

Support and maintenance of body shape

The skeleton provides the framework which supports the body and maintains its shape. The pelvis, associated ligaments and muscles provide a floor for the pelvic structures. Without the rib cages, costal cartilages, and intercostal muscles, the lungs would collapse.

Movement

The joints between bones allow movement, some allowing a wider range of movement than others; e.g. the ball and socket joint allows a greater range of movement than the pivot joint at the neck. 
Movement is powered by skeletal muscles, which are attached to the skeleton at various sites on bones. 
Muscles, bones, and joints provide the principal mechanics for movement, all coordinated by the nervous system.

It is believed that the reduction of human bone density in prehistoric times reduced the agility and dexterity of human movement. 
Shifting from hunting to agriculture has caused human bone density to reduce significantly.

Protection

The skeleton helps to protect our many vital internal organs from being damaged.

The skull protects the brain

The vertebrae protect the spinal cord.

The rib cage, spine, and sternum protect the lungs, heart and major blood vessels.

Blood cell production

The skeleton is the site of haematopoiesis, the development of blood cells that takes place in the bone marrow. 
In children, haematopoiesis occurs primarily in the marrow of the long bones such as the femur and tibia. 
In adults, it occurs mainly in the pelvis, cranium, vertebrae, and sternum.

Storage

The bone matrix can store calcium and is involved in calcium metabolism, and bone marrow can store iron and is involved in iron metabolism. However, bones are not entirely made of calcium, but a mixture of chondroitin sulfate and hydroxyapatite, the latter making up 70% of a bone. Hydroxyapatite is in turn composed of 39.8% of calcium, 41.4% of oxygen, 18.5% of phosphorus, and 0.2% of hydrogen by mass. Chondroitin sulfate is a sugar made up primarily of oxygen and carbon.

Endocrine regulation

Bone cells release a hormone called osteocalcin, which contributes to the regulation of blood sugar (glucose) and fat deposition. Osteocalcin increases both the insulin secretion and sensitivity, in addition to boosting the number of insulin-producing cells and reducing stores of fat.

Comments

  1. Faris ZahidOctober 20, 2021 at 8:53 AM

    The information provided is really great and would love to share it with others.
    must also visit
    Osteoporosis

    ReplyDelete

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