The spinal column is a structure that consists of thirty-three vertebrae. These can be divided into several regions namely the: Cervical spine: 7 vertebrae C1-C7; Thoracic spine: 12 vertebrae T1-12; Lumbar spine: 5 vertebrae L1-L5; Sacrum: 5 fused vertebrae S1-S5; Coccyx: 4 fused vertebrae that...
The knee is the joint in the body that binds the upper and lower leg, or the femur and tibia, respectively. Smaller bones, such as the tibia and the patella are also involved in the joint. The bones are joined together by ligaments that provide...
The skull is the bony framework that forms the head, supports the structures of the face, and creates a cavity for the brain. This structure consists of about twenty-two bones: Fourteen facial skeleton bones that form the viscerocranium (the facial skeleton) Eight cranial bones that...
The tissue that gives bone its strength and structure is called bone tissue. It is specialized connective tissue that has a honeycomb-like internal matrix. Different cells exist within bone tissue: Osteoblasts: work to form new bone tissue through mineralization. Osteocytes: these cells can be found...
Bone fractures are repaired in three different stages or phases: Inflammatory stage. Immediately after a bone fracture occurs, a hematoma forms at the site of the injury. This hematoma forms the template for the callus that will be formed later. The extravascular blood cells that...
The vagus nerve is the tenth cranial nerve (CN X), which is also the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system. Historically, this nerve was called the pneumogastric nerve because it is involved in the parasympathetic control of the digestive tract, lungs, and heart. The...