Protect the brain
function of skull
Cranium
surrounds the brain (in skull)
Maxilla
upper jaw (in skull)
Mandible
lower jaw (in skull)
Sinuses
air spaces in the cranial bones (in skull)
Sutures
areas where cranial bones join together (in skull)
Foramina
tiny holes in bones that allow passage of nerves and blood vessels (in skull)
Spinal column
function: protect the spinal cord and support head and trunk
26
total number of vertebrae
Cervical
7 found in the neck (in spinal column)
Thoracic
12 found in the upper back (in spinal column)
Lumbar
5 found in the lower back (in spinal column)
Tailbone
Sacrum and coccyx (in spinal column)
Invertebral disc
cartilage found between the vertebrae (in spinal column)
Rib cage
function: protect heart and lungs
12
pairs of ribs
True ribs
top 7 pair - attach individually to sternum
False ribs
bottom 5 pair (first 3 attach to cartilage of rib #7 and bottom 2 have no anterior attachment, only to vertebrae0
Floating ribs
bottom 2 of the false ribs
Sternum
aka breastbone
xiphoid process
inferior end of sternum