Bio summary: Support and Locomotion
B1: The human skeleton
Vertebrate animals such as fish, ampibians, reptiles, birds and mammals have skeletons inside their
bodies. These internal skeletons are called endoskeletons. The human skeleton consists of more than
200 bones.
The skull is supported by the backbone, als known as the spinal column, vertebral column of spine.
Name Consists of
Skull Head bones
Rib cage Thoracic vertebrae, ribs and breast bone
Pectoral girdle Shoulder blades and collar bones
Pelvic girdle The pelvis attached to the backbone
Limbs Arms and legs
In a newborn baby the bones of the skull come together but are not completely joined. These are
called soft spots or fontanelles. Such soft spots are covered by tiny membranes. It is normal for
babies to have these soft spots which can be seen and felt on the top and back of the head. The
bones of the skull cause the fontanelles to close over by the time a child is two years old.
Your skeleton supports your body, it protects some organs*, it makes movement possible and it gives
your body its shape.
*your lungs and heart are protected by the rib cage, the spinal cord is surrounded by the vertebrae
and the bony plates of your skull protect your brains.
B2: The skeletons of mammals
Kind of animal What they use to walk with For example
Plantigrade Using the entire sole of the feet for walking Human, squirrel and wood mouse
Digitigrades Walk on their toes Cat, fox and ermine
Unguligrades/ Walk on the tips of their toes, usually covered Red deer, wild boar and sheep
ungulates with hoof. Also known as hoofed animals
B3: Bone and cartilage
The body is supported by two types of tissue, both contain extracellular material between the cells:
- Bone tissue is composed of cells surrounded by tiny canals. It includes calcium phosphate
and collagen.
o Calcium phosphate keeps bones strong and rigid. It can be removed by soaking the
bone in hydrochloric acid. The amount of calcium phosphate increases as we grow
older.
o Collagen makes a bone flexible. It can be removed by lighting the bone on fire. The
amount of collagen decreases as we grow older.
- Cartilage tissue is composed of cells that are clustered inside extracellular material. It’s
strong and flexible.
B4: Joints
A joint is a place where two bones meet. Because of the muscles surrounding the bones, movement
is allowed. There are 4 different types of joints:
- Fused joint (sacrum) no movement possible
- Sutures (skull) no movement possible
- Cartilaginous joint (vertebrae) movement possible
- Synovial joint (phalanges) much movement possible. The ends of the bones are covered with
a layer of cartilage. The synovial membrane produces synovial fluid, which makes movement
B1: The human skeleton
Vertebrate animals such as fish, ampibians, reptiles, birds and mammals have skeletons inside their
bodies. These internal skeletons are called endoskeletons. The human skeleton consists of more than
200 bones.
The skull is supported by the backbone, als known as the spinal column, vertebral column of spine.
Name Consists of
Skull Head bones
Rib cage Thoracic vertebrae, ribs and breast bone
Pectoral girdle Shoulder blades and collar bones
Pelvic girdle The pelvis attached to the backbone
Limbs Arms and legs
In a newborn baby the bones of the skull come together but are not completely joined. These are
called soft spots or fontanelles. Such soft spots are covered by tiny membranes. It is normal for
babies to have these soft spots which can be seen and felt on the top and back of the head. The
bones of the skull cause the fontanelles to close over by the time a child is two years old.
Your skeleton supports your body, it protects some organs*, it makes movement possible and it gives
your body its shape.
*your lungs and heart are protected by the rib cage, the spinal cord is surrounded by the vertebrae
and the bony plates of your skull protect your brains.
B2: The skeletons of mammals
Kind of animal What they use to walk with For example
Plantigrade Using the entire sole of the feet for walking Human, squirrel and wood mouse
Digitigrades Walk on their toes Cat, fox and ermine
Unguligrades/ Walk on the tips of their toes, usually covered Red deer, wild boar and sheep
ungulates with hoof. Also known as hoofed animals
B3: Bone and cartilage
The body is supported by two types of tissue, both contain extracellular material between the cells:
- Bone tissue is composed of cells surrounded by tiny canals. It includes calcium phosphate
and collagen.
o Calcium phosphate keeps bones strong and rigid. It can be removed by soaking the
bone in hydrochloric acid. The amount of calcium phosphate increases as we grow
older.
o Collagen makes a bone flexible. It can be removed by lighting the bone on fire. The
amount of collagen decreases as we grow older.
- Cartilage tissue is composed of cells that are clustered inside extracellular material. It’s
strong and flexible.
B4: Joints
A joint is a place where two bones meet. Because of the muscles surrounding the bones, movement
is allowed. There are 4 different types of joints:
- Fused joint (sacrum) no movement possible
- Sutures (skull) no movement possible
- Cartilaginous joint (vertebrae) movement possible
- Synovial joint (phalanges) much movement possible. The ends of the bones are covered with
a layer of cartilage. The synovial membrane produces synovial fluid, which makes movement
