Anatomy and Physiology Homework: Understanding Skeletal Muscle

This assignment explores the human skeletal muscle system, covering its components like bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage, as well as its functions including organ protection, mineral storage, and blood cell production. It details the skeletal system's division into axial and appendicular parts, and the types of cartilage. The assignment further examines the interaction between the skeletal and muscular systems, highlighting how muscles cause skeletal movement through contraction and how the skeletal system works with the circulatory and nervous systems. It also discusses homeostasis, the role of bone marrow in blood cell production, and the importance of the skeletal system in supporting overall body functions. The assignment references the critical role of the skeletal system in maintaining body shape, enabling movement, and supporting internal organs, emphasizing its contribution to individual well-being.

Running head: THE SKELETAL MUSCLE 1
Anatomy and Physiology
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Question one
The human skeletal system is composed of bones, ligaments, tendons and cartilage. The
main functions of the skeletal system include; internal organs protection, storage of minerals,
support, production of blood cells, development. The human skeletal system can be divided into
two parts; the axial skeleton comprising of 80 bones and appendicular skeleton with a total of
206 bones [1].
The bone cartilage is a crucial part of the skeleton, and it performs the following
functions; it helps in resisting comprehensive forces, provides support and flexibility in bony
areas of the body. Cartilage acts as the model for the fractured healing bones and also the model
for the developing bones. There are three types of cartilage; hyaline, fibro and elastic cartilage.
Hyaline is found on the nose, trachea, and ribs and the larynx fibro is located on the ligaments,
vertebral discs and joint capsules. Elastic cartilage provides elasticity and strength. Bones are
divided into two; Compact bones which makeup 80% of the human skeletal system and protect
the spongy bony by providing strength due to their hard layer, Spongy bones are found in the
pelvis, skull, vertebrae and ribs. They contain the bone morrow which synthesizes the blood cells
[2].
Question two
(a) The skeletal system interacts with the muscular system where muscles connect with the
skeleton, and through muscular contraction, they cause the movement of the skeleton. The
calcified bones and the cartilage of the skeletal system work together to assist in the
movement process. The calcified bone works with the circulatory system, whereby the
morrow inside the bone help in the production of both white and red blood cells. Through the

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role of protection of the skeleton, it interacts with the nervous system whereby the skulls
protect the brain. The vertebrae bones protect the spinal cord. Bones protect all the internal
organs, and also serve to store minerals such as calcium which helps in muscle contraction
and control on the flow of ions that are responsible for the nerve impulse transmission. The
interaction of the skeletal and the muscles to provide support, protection, calcium storage,
protection of blood cells, regulation of endocrine, movement, and enables us to survive. The
bones are made up of minerals and store minerals which enables the body to perform other
functions [3].
(b) Homeostasis is essential to the body, and it has to be maintained so that to make the body be
in a healthy state and function well while balancing and maintaining its systems. The
chemical energy is changed to mechanical energy when the muscles contracts and this leads
to heat generation. The movement of the skeletal system through interactions with the
nervous system, which responds to the body movement by the production of electric
impulses, results to series contractions and expansion of the opposite pair of muscles. The
bone marrow produces blood cells inside the bones. Blood cells within the bones supply
nutrients to them. Muscles attached to the bones are involved in the shivering of the body, to
generate heat when needed. When the body temperature is very high, the homeostasis is
maintained by lowering the heat which is released from the body through sweating. Minerals
like phosphate and calcium are responsible for strengthening the compact bones [4].
Question three
It is essential to study and understand the human skeletal system as it plays vital
functions for the overall body functions. Support, protection, movement and maintenance of
body hemostasis are some of the functions of the skeletal system, and they contribute to

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individuals’ wellbeing [5]. The skeletal system gives the body its shape; a body without the
skeleton can look like a paper kite with a floppy frame. It enables one to sit and stand because it
supports the body weight. The bones of the skeletal system provide anchorage to different parts
of our bodies like heart, eyes, and nose while making them remain in their specific position [6].

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References
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Calcified tissue international. 2015 Mar 1;96(3):183-95.
2. Heymsfield SB, Gonzalez MC, Lu J, Jia G, Zheng J. Skeletal muscle mass and quality:
evolution of modern measurement concepts in the context of sarcopenia. Proceedings of
the Nutrition Society. 2015 Nov;74(4):355-66.
3. Shier D, Butler J, Lewis R. Hole's essentials of human anatomy & physiology. New
York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2015.
4. Blancquaert L, Baba SP, Kwiatkowski S, Stautemas J, Stegen S, Barbaresi S, Chung W,
Boakye AA, Hoetker JD, Bhatnagar A, Delanghe J. Carnosine and anserine homeostasis
in skeletal muscle and heart is controlled by β‐alanine transamination. The Journal of
physiology. 2016 Sep 1;594(17):4849-63.
5. Diogo R, Noden DM, Smith CM, Molnar J, Boughner JC, Barrocas CA, Bruno JA.
Understanding Human Anatomy and Pathology: An Evolutionary and Developmental
Guide for Medical Students. CRC Press; 2018 Sep 3.
6. VanderMolen J, Spivey C. Creating infographics to enhance student engagement and
communication in health economics. The Journal of Economic Education. 2017 Jul
3;48(3):198-205.