Axial skeleton

Its function is to protect the Central Nervous System and some of the vital organs located in the thoracic region. Therefore, its role is related to the protection of the organism, being considered the central pillar of the skeletal system.

There is also the appendicular skeleton, formed by the upper and lower limbs. The axial and appendicular skeletons are joined by the pelvic and scapular girdle.

Anatomy

The axial skeleton is composed of the head, rib cage and spinal column:

Head

The bones of the head are responsible for protecting the brain and are made up of 22 bones:

• 8 bones of the skull : frontal, 2 parietal, 2 temporal, occipital, sphenoid, ethmoid;
• 14 bones of the face : 2 zygomatic, 2 maxillary, 2 nasal, mandible, 2 palatine, 2 lacrimal, vomer, 2 inferior nasal concha.

Of all the bones in the head, only the mandible is mobile and assists in the movement of the mouth during chewing.

Also in the head region there is the hyoid bone, which functions as a support point for the muscles of the tongue and neck.

rib cage

The rib cage is formed by the ribs and the sternum. The ribs represent a set of 12 curved bones, being: 7 true, 3 false and 2 floating.

The so-called true ribs are those that connect to the sternum, the false ribs connect to each other and the floating ribs are not connected to any other bone.

The sternum is a flat bone with a unique and characteristic shape, located in the central region of the rib cage.

Find out more, read also:

• appendicular skeleton
• Human skeleton
• Parts of the human body

Vertebral Column

The spinal column is formed by a set of 33 vertebrae arranged one above the other and interspersed by intervertebral discs:

• Cervical Vertebrae : 7 vertebrae;
• Dorsal or thoracic vertebrae : 12 vertebrae;
• Lumbar Vertebrae : 5 vertebrae;
• Sacral Vertebrae : 5 fused vertebrae;
• Coccygeal Vertebra : 4 fused vertebrae.

The main functions of the spine are to support the body’s structure and aid movement. Therefore, it is considered the body’s axis of support.

Furthermore, the spinal column represents an important axis of communication between the central and peripheral nervous systems.