THE SUPPORTIVE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
AND THE SKELETAL
SYSTEM
Lab 3
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 Study the skeletal system by understanding its
major tissue components namely cartilage and
bone.
OBJECTIVES:
 Study the structure of three different types of
cartilages and bone through prepared slides.
 Identify the different types of bone joints with
examples.
 Study the major bones of the human skeleton.
 Compare the features of human pelvis for male
and female.
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TISSUES OF THE SKELETAL SYSTEM
Cartilage
❑ Cartilage is a semi-rigid
form of connective tissue,
that provides a supportive
framework for various
structures.
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Bone
❑ It is the most rigid form
of connective tissue, with
deposits of mineral salts
and collagen within the
matrix.
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1. Hyaline cartilage
✓ A clear glass like appearance.
✓ Mature cartilage cells are called chondrocytes.
TYPES OF
CARTILAGE:
✓ Chondrocytes are embedded in matrix spaces
known as lacunae.
✓ At the periphery, there is a zone of condensed
connective tissue called perichondrium
✓ Cells are separated by a large mass of cartilage
matrix known as Chondrin
✓ Examples: nasal septum, larynx, tracheal rings
and most articular surfaces.
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Perichondrium
Chondrin (Matrix)
Lacuna
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Chondrocyte
Capsule
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2. Elastic cartilage
✓ It contains an abundant network of fine elastic fibers.
✓ Fibers are stained black and is especially dense in the immediate
vicinity of the chondrocytes.
TYPES OF
CARTILAGE:
✓ Elastic cartilage has a yellowish color when fresh due to the presence
of elastin in the elastic fibers.
✓ The chondrocytes are large within the interior and tend to become
smaller towards the perichondrium.
✓ Elastic cartilage is opaque and more flexible than hyaline cartilage
and is not prone to degenerative calcification.
✓ Examples : epiglottis, external auditory canal, external ear and some
of the laryngeal cartilages.
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Lacuna
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3. Fibro Cartilage
TYPES OF
CARTILAGE:
✓ The chondrocytes are present either singly or in small groups
and are very often arranged in long columns between dense
collagen layers.
✓ There is little ground substance, and the matrix contains a
great number of highly interwoven collagenous fibers.
✓ Examples : found in attachment of certain ligaments to bones,
in the pubic symphysis and in the intervertebral discs.
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Fibro cartilage in the
intervertebral disc.
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Chondrocyte
Collagen Fibers
Lacuna
Matrix
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❖ It forms a complete system of supporting tissue, namely
the skeleton.
❖It is the most rigid form of connective tissue with deposits
of mineral salts and collagen within the matrix.
THE BONE
❖Bone cells are called osteocytes, which lies within a
lacunae.
❖They are arranged in concentric circles (osteons) around
the osteon canal interconnected by canaliculi.
❖Bone has a good blood supply, enabling rapid recovery
after an injury
✓ Examples: T.S. of Compact bone and L.S. of Compact
bone
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T.S. OF COMPACT
BONE
✓ The matrix is organized into numerous circular units
called osteon (Haversian systems)
✓ In each osteon, calcified matrix is arranged in multiple
concentric layers, the lamellae surrounding a central
canal known as the Haversian canal
✓ This canal contains blood vessels, nerves and lymph
vessels.
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Osteocyte
Haversian System
Haversian Canal
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Bone lamellae
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✓ Bone cells called osteocytes appear to be between
the hard layers of the lamellae in small spaces
known as lacunae.
T.S. OF COMPACT BONE
✓ Osteocytes are also arranged in concentric rings
within the lamellae
✓ Tiny canals, called canaliculi connect the lamellae
with one another and with the central canal.
✓ Canaliculi contains fine cytoplasmic extensions of
osteocytes.
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Osteocytes
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L.S. OF COMPACT BONE
✓ In the L.S. of compact bone, Osteon
appear to be parallel to the Haversian canal
columns.
✓ The central canals are in longitudinal
planes interconnected with one another by
a certain oblique connection called
Volkmann’s canals.
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Haversian Canal
Osteocytes
Volkmann’s Canal
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1.
Synovial Joints
 This type of joint is characterized by free and extensive movement of
the bone at the articular surfaces.
 The articular surfaces at the end of the bones are covered by hyaline
cartilage.
TYPES OF JOINTS:
 These surfaces are maintained in close contact by a fibrous capsule
and ligaments.
 On the inner surface of this capsule is a specialized connective tissue
layer called synovial membrane.
 Synovial membrane secretes the synovial fluid which lubricates the
articular surfaces.
 Examples of these joints are found between long bones such as at the
knee joint, elbow joint etc.
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TYPES OF JOINTS:
2. Fibrous Joint
These joints are found
between the cranial
bones (sutures) and
are immovable.
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3. Cartilaginous joints:
✓ These are found
between the vertebrae,
and are slightly movable.
TYPES OF JOINTS:
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✓ The two hip bones are
also slightly movable
because they are
ventrally joined by
cartilage and respond to
pregnancy.
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BONES OF THE
HUMAN SKELETON:
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➢ The entire male hipbones
form a narrow structure
than a female hipbones
STRUCTURAL
DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE MALE
AND FEMALE
HIPBONES :
➢ A man’s pelvis is shaped
like a funnel, but a
woman’s pelvis has a
broader, shallow shape,
more like a basin.
➢ The brim of pelvis is
normally much wider in
the female than in the
male.
➢ The angle at the front of
the female pelvis where
the 2 pubic bones join is
wider than it is in the
male.
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