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Related Concept Videos

Spongy Bone01:09

Spongy Bone

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All bones comprise an outer layer of compact bone, and an interior made up of spongy bone tissue, also called cancellous or trabecular bone. In long bones, spongy bone tissue is mainly found in the interior of the epiphyses (broad ends of the bone).
Spongy bone is more porous, and less dense compared to compact bone. It is composed of concentric lamellae that are arranged irregularly to form the trabecular network. In some bones, the spaces between trabeculae contain red marrow, where...
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Compact Bone01:27

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Most bones contain compact and spongy osseous tissue, but their distribution and concentration vary based on the bone's overall function.
Compact bone, also called cortical bone, is the denser, stronger of the two types of bone tissue. It is found under the periosteum and in the diaphyses of long bones, where it provides support and protection. The microscopic structural unit of compact bone is called an osteon, or haversian system. Each osteon is composed of concentric rings of calcified...
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Bone Disorders01:29

Bone Disorders

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Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
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The Hyoid Bone01:12

The Hyoid Bone

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The hyoid bone is a small U-shaped bone located in the upper neck at the level of the inferior mandible, with its tips pointing posteriorly. It does not directly articulate with any other bone in the body. The hyoid acts as the attachment site for the tongue, the larynx, and the pharynx. It is held in position by a series of small muscles attached from above or below. These muscles help to move the hyoid up/down or forward/back in coordination with movements of the tongue, larynx, and pharynx...
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Bone Structure01:55

Bone Structure

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Within the skeletal system, the structure of a bone, or osseous tissue, can be exemplified in a long bone, like the femur, where there are two types of osseous tissue: cortical and cancellous.
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Bone Remodeling01:40

Bone Remodeling

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Bone remodeling is a continuous and balanced process of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. In adults, it helps maintain bone mass and calcium homeostasis. While mechanical stress can stimulate turnover as part of the normal maintenance and reparative process, several hormones also regulate bone remodeling.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Models of Bone Metastasis
08:49

Models of Bone Metastasis

Published on: September 4, 2012

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How many bones? Every bone in my body.

Paul E Neumann1, Thomas R Gest2

  • 1Department of Medical Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Clinical Anatomy (New York, N.Y.)
|June 23, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The widely cited human bone count of 206 is not consistently supported by historical or adult data. Bone counts vary significantly due to age and individual differences, challenging a definitive human skeletal count.

Keywords:
anatomybonehistoryosteologyskeleton

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Area of Science:

  • Anatomy
  • Anthropology

Background:

  • Textbooks commonly cite 206 human bones, sometimes distinguishing 6 auditory ossicles.
  • Historical bone counts range widely from 197 to 307 over centuries.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review historical and adult human bone counts.
  • To evaluate the justification for the commonly accepted 206 bone count.

Main Methods:

  • Historical literature review of human bone tallies.
  • Audit of bone counts within adulthood.

Main Results:

  • The modern count of 206 excludes teeth, sesamoids, and treats fused bones (hyoid, sacrum, coccyx, sternum) as single units.
  • No rational justification for a fixed 206 bone count in adulthood was confirmed.
  • Bone count varies with age (higher in young adults, lower in elderly) and individual differences.

Conclusions:

  • The definitive human bone count is variable and not fixed at 206.
  • Challenges in bone counting include individual variation and inconsistent cranial bone assessment.