The Human Skeletal System
As we become older we are more aware of our bodies and realize the importance of good health. The benefits of taking care of our bodies help us to understand human body systems and how they are essential for life by providing protection, movement and support. The muscles and the skeleton are two body systems that provide a structural framework that supports and protects mobility of the human body. The skeletal system is comprised of bone, a hard material that provides protection and support to the bodies’ soft tissues. Bones play a major role in supporting our bodies and allowing us to move. They also aid in protecting the brain, heart and other organs from injury. Bones are a living, growing tissue that is comprised of two materials, which are calcium and collagen. Calcium is a mineral that is beneficial to the framework of a bone by adding hardness and strength. Collagen is a protein that provides bones with a soft framework. Other minerals and calcium are released into the body when the body needs them for other uses. “Our bones are continuously being remodeled through repeated cycles of destruction and rebuilding. By some estimates, this remodeling process is so extensive that it completely regenerates the adult skeleton every 10 years” (Kiberstis, Smith & Colin, 2000). As bones are subjected to mechanical stress, remodeling serves as a repair function. This essay will identify the functions of the skeletal system and how diseases of the skeletal system
affect it.
affect it.