Functions of the Skeletal System

D: Protection function of the skeletal system

hard, bony "boxes" protect delicate structures enclosed within them. (e.g. the skull protects the brain)

Q: what are the primary organs of the skeletal system?

A: bones

Q: what are the 5 main functions of the skeletal system?

A: support, protection, movement, storage, hematopoiesis

D: Movement function of the skeletal system

As muscles contract and shorten, they pull on bones and thereby move them.

D: Support function of the skeletal system

bones form the body's supporting framework. All the softer tissues of the body literally hang from the skeletal framework

D: Storage function of the skeletal system

bones serve as a safety deposit box for calcium. When there is excess calcium in the blood, it moves into the bones for storage. When there isn't enough calcium in the blood, it moves in the opposite direction. Calcium is a vital substance required for normal nerve and muscle function.

D: red bone marrow

soft connective tissue inside the hard walls of some bones. Responsible for blood cell formation.

D: Hematopoiesis function of the skeletal system

the process of blood cell formation carried on in red bone marrow. (hemato = "blood", poiesis = "to make" in Greek).