Name ____________________________________________________________ Period_____
The Axial Skeleton
The Axial Skeleton

Forms the __________________________________ of the body

Divided into _______________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________
The Skull

Two sets of bones
o
__________________ – encloses & protects brain
o ______________________________ – holds eyes in anterior position & allows
the facial muscles to show emotions.

All but 1 of the bones are joined by __________________________________________

Only the ___________________ is attached by a freely movable joint
The Cranium

________________ – forms ____________________, brow bone, superior eye orbit

____________________(___) – form most of the ______________________________
of the cranium

o
Meet in midline = _______________________________________
o
Meet frontal = _______________________________________
____________________(___)– inferior to parietals & join to them at the _____________
_________________________
o
Important bone markings found here

___________________________________________________ –
______________ leading to eardrum

_________________________________ – sharp needle-like projection
inferior to external auditory meatus (______________________________
for many __________________________________________________)

_________________________________ – thin ____________________
that joins w/ the zygomatic (_____________) bone

_________________________________ – rough projection posterior &
inferior to the external auditory meatus



____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Close to middle ear & __________________________________
________________________________ – junction of occipital & temporal

Allows for ____________________________________________

Largest vein of the head – _______________________________
___________________________________ – anterior to jugular foramen

Transmits ______________________________ (facial &
vestibulocochlear)

_________________________________ - anterior to jugular foramen


____________________________________________________
________________________– most posterior bone of cranium forming _____________
__________________________________________
o
Joins parietals anteriorly at _________________________________
o
___________________________________ = large opening in base of the
occipitals (_______________________________________________________)

Lateral to the foramen magnum are rockerlike _____________________
_____________________ which rest on the 1st vertebra

___________________________ – butterfly-shaped – spans the width of the skull and
forms part of ________________________________________________
o
__________________________________ “Turk’s saddle” = small depression on
the midline of the sphenoid, holds the ________________________________
o
_________________________________ = large oval opening in line w/ the
posterior end of the sella turcica (allows _______________________ (trigeminal)
to pass to _______________________ muscles of mandible
o
Parts of the ________________________ form part of the eye orbits

2 important openings:
1. ___________________________ (optic nerve)
2. __________________________________________ (cranial
nerves 3, 4 & 6 – eye movements)
o Central part of the sphenoid riddled w/ air cavities = _______________________

_____________________ – irregularly shaped, anterior to sphenoid – forms _________
_______________________ and ___________________________________________.
o
______________________________ “cock’s comb” = superior ethmoid surface
projection – ______________________________________________________
o
_____________________________________ – holey areas on sides of crista
galli= ________________________________________ pass through from nose
o
________________________________________________ – extensions of the
ethmoid – form part of _________________________________________ &
____________________________________________ of air flowing
Facial Bones
*________________________
*________________________, only the _______________ and ____________are _________

________________________(___) / maxillary bones – fused to form _______________
o
Upper teeth carried in the ________________________________________
o
___________________________________– extensions that form the ________
part of the _____________________________
o
___________________________________ – ___________________________
_________________, lighten the skull bones, ___________________________
as we speak

Hollow portions of bones surrounding the nasal cavity

_____________________ (infection of sinuses) – can result in ________
________________________________ pain

______________________ (___) – posterior to palatine processes of maxillae – form
____________________ part of __________________________________
o

________________________________ = failure of these to fuse
___________________________(___) – cheek bones – form portion of _____________
_____________________________________

___________________________(___) – fingernail sized bones forming part of _______
_____________________________________
o

Groove serves as ________________________________________________
_______________(___) – small rectangular bones – form ________________________
– lower part of nose made of cartilage

_______________ “_____________” (1) – median line of nasal cavity – forms _______
__________________________________________

_________________________________________ (___) – thin, ___________________
________________________ from lateral walls of the nasal cavity

________________________ (lower jaw) – largest, _____________________________
– ________________________________________ on each side of face, forming the
_____________________________________________________________ (find them!)
o
Horizontal part (body) forms the ________________
o
2 upright bars of bone (rami) extend from the body to connect the mandible with
the temporal bone.
o
__________________________ lie in ________________________________
The Hyoid Bone

______________________________________

_______________________________ w/ a
body and 2 pair of horns (cornua)

Closely related to mandible and temporal bones

______________________________________
______________________________________

Suspended in mid–neck region 2 cm above the
larynx, ________________________________
______________________________________

Serves as a movable ____________________
____________ & attachment point for neck
muscles (lower and raise larynx when we
swallow & speak)
The Fetal Skull

Face small compared to size of cranium (skull
is large compared to body length)

____________________________________
_______________; newborn is _________

______________________ – fibrous
membranes connecting the cranial bones
o
Baby’s pulse can be ______________
_______________ spots (explains
their name “little fountain”)
o
Allow fetal skull to be _____________
______________________________
o
Allow infants ____________________
o
Largest fontanels are diamond shaped
anterior shaped fontanel and smaller
triangular shaped posterior
o
________________________________
_____________________ after birth
The Vertebral Column

Serves as ____________________ of the body

Extends ______________________, which it
supports, _______________________, where
it transmits the weight of the body to the legs.

____________________________________
connected & __________________________
creating a flexible, curved structure.

_________________________ runs through
central cavity, protected by vertebrae

___________________ = ________________
___________________ but _______________
________________________________ – the
____________ (5 fused) & the ___________ (4
fused).

Each vertebrae is given a _________________
______________________________________
.


24 single vertebrae
o
__________________________ vertebrae
o
__________________________vertebrae
o
__________________________vertebrae
Vertebrae separated by pads of __________________________________ –
____________________ discs – ____________________________________ while
________________________________________.
o
_________ person – discs = _________________________ – ______________
_________________________________.
o
As you _________ – ________________________________ – _____________
_______________________________________

Can ______________________________________________________.

Can __________________ from ________________________________

____________________________ on ___________________________
_____________= ____________________ & excruciating ___________

_____________ & _________________________________ of spine _______________
________________ to head when we walk or run.
o
o
_________________________ curvatures

__________________________________ regions

__________________________________
__________________________ curvatures

________________ curvature appears ___________________________
_____________________________________


________________ curvature when baby _________________________
_______________________ spinal curvatures
o
__________________ - abnormal __________________________ of the spine.
o
__________________ - Abnormal __________________________ of the spine,
resulting in ______________________.
o
___________________ - Abnormal _________________________ of the spine
in the _______________ region.
Vertebrae

All vertebrae have a similar structural pattern.
o
_______________: disclike, _________________________ part facing
anteriorly.
o
____________________________:
formed from the joining of all
posterior extensions, the laminae &
pedicles.
o
____________________________:
_____________ through which the
spinal cord passes.
o
____________________________:
2 lateral projections from the
vertebral arch.
o
_____________________________: single projection arising from the posterior
aspect of the vertebral arch (fused laminae).
o ________________________________________
__________________: ______________ projections
lateral to the vertebral foramen allowing a __________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________.
Cervical Vertebrae

7 (___________) – form the ___________ region.

First 2 – __________________________ – are different
because they perform functions not shared by any other cervical vertebrae.

____________ (C1) has _________________; the
superior surfaces of its transverse processes
contain large depressions that ________________
___________________________________; allows
you to nod “_________.”

_____________ (C2) has a _________________
__________________ (_________ or
_____________________________), which acts
as a _________________________________;
allows you to indicate “_______.”

C3 through C7 are the smallest, lightest vertebrae

All transverse processes ___________________
_______________________________________________through which ___________
_______________ pass to the brain.
Thoracic Vertebrae

____ with body somewhat __________________
______________ w/ ______________________
__________, which receive the heads of the ribs.

_____________________________ is long &
______________________________________
(from the side looks like a __________________
head).
Lumbar Vertebrae

___ w/ massive __________________________ &
________________________________________
____________ (looks like ______________ head
from side).

________________ vertebrae – ______________
________________.
Sacrum

Formed by the ____________________________________________.

Winglike ________________________________ laterally ________________________
forming the ___________________________________.

Forms the __________________________________________________________.

________________________________________ roughens the posterior midline & are
flanked by ____________________________________.

Vertebral canal continues inside the sacrum as the _______________________ –
terminates in large inferior opening called the ______________________________.
Coccyx

Formed by ____________________________________, irregularly shaped vertebrae

This is the human “____________________” – a remnant of the tail other vertebrate
animals have.
Bony Thorax


Made-up of three parts
o
______________________
o
______________________
o
____________________________________
Often called the “_______________________________” b/c it forms a ______________
______________________ of slender bones to protect the major organs of the thoracic
cavity.

____________________– “breastbone”
o
Flat bone that is a result of the ________________________________ – the
________________________________________________________________
o
__________________ to the __________________________________
o
Three important bony landmarks:
1. _____________________________ (concave ______________ border of
the ____________________) – can be felt easily – generally at __________
2. ____________________________ - where manubrium & body meet formed at level of ______________ (reference to locate ________________
_______________ for ___________________________________________)
3. ____________________________ – body and xiphoid process fuse (level of
_______)
o
________________________________ used to get bone marrow tissue to
__________________________________________________________

Ribs – _______________ – form walls of bony thorax
o
Articulate w/ vertebral column posteriorly & curve downward toward anterior body
surface.
o
___________________ = __________________ – _______________________
to sternum by _______________________________________
o
___________________ = __________________ – _______________________
___________________________________ (______________________ are
called “_____________________”
b/c they are the ones not attached
at all)
o Contrary to popular myth – men &
women have the same number of
ribs!! 