BIOL302 Study Guide - Final Guide: Anterior Cranial Fossa, Inferior Orbital Fissure, Axial Skeleton
Document Summary
The skeleton consists of: bones 206 of them in the human skeleton. Appendicular skeleton: cartilages, joints/articulations junctions between skeletal muscles, ligaments connect bones and reinforce most joints. Consists of 80 bones divided into: skull, vertebrate column and thoracic cage. Geography: facial bones form anterior aspect; cranium forms the rest, cranium can be divided into: Cranial vault/calvaria/skullcap forms superior, lateral and posterior aspect of the skull and the forehead region. Cranial base/floor forms the inferior part. Internally, prominent bony ridges divide the cranial base into 3 distinct steps/fossae anterior, middle and posterior cranial fossae (all completely enclosed by cranial vault): brain occupies cranial cavity, skull also contains smaller cavities: Middle and inner ear cavities carved into lateral aspects of cranial base. Nasal cavities lies in and posterior to nose. Paranasal sinuses air-filled sinuses that occur in several bones around the nasal cavity: skull has ~85 named openings (foramina, canals, fissures)
