Skeletal - Break A Leg

Break A Leg
Did you ever break a leg or other bone, like the man looking longingly at
the water in this swimming pool? Having a broken bone can really restrict your
activity. Bones are very hard, but they will break (or fracture) if enough force is
applied to them. Fortunately, bones are highly active organs that can repair
themselves if they break. Bones can also remodel themselves and grow.
You’ll learn how bones can do all of these things in this concept.
Bone Growth
Early in the development of a human fetus, the skeleton is made almost
entirely of cartilage. The relatively soft cartilage gradually turns into hard bone
through ossification. Ossification is a process in which bone tissue is created
from cartilage. The steps in which bones of the skeleton form from cartilage
are illustrated in the figure below. The steps are as follows:
1. Cartilage “model” of bone forms. This model continues to grow as

ossification takes place.
2. Ossification begins at a primary ossification center in the middle of
bone.
3. Ossification then starts to occur at secondary ossification centers at the
ends of bone.
4. The medullary cavity forms. This cavity will contain red bone marrow.
5. Areas of ossification meet at epiphyseal plates, and articular cartilage
forms. Bone growth ends.
The ossification of cartilage in the human skeleton is a process that lasts throughout childhood in some bones.
Primary and Secondary Ossification Centers
When bone forms from cartilage, ossification begins with a point in the
cartilage called the primary ossification center. This generally appears
during fetal development, although a few short bones begin their primary
ossification after birth. Ossification happens toward both ends of the bone
from the primary ossification center, and — in the case of long bones — it
eventually forms the shaft of the bone.
Secondary ossification centers form after birth. Ossification from secondary

centers eventually forms the ends of the bones. The shaft and ends of the
bone are separated by a growing zone of cartilage until the individual reaches
skeletal maturity.
Skeletal Maturity
Throughout childhood, the cartilage remaining in the skeleton keeps growing,

and allows for bones to grow in size. Once all of the cartilage has been
replaced by bone, and fusion has taken place at epiphyseal plates, bones can
no longer keep growing in length. At this point, skeletal maturity has been
reached. It generally takes place by age 18 to 25. The use of anabolic
steroids by teens can speed up the process of skeletal maturity, resulting in a
shorter period of cartilage growth before fusion takes place. This means that
teens who use steroids are likely to end up shorter as adults than they would
otherwise have been.
Bone Remodeling
Even after skeletal maturity has been attained, bone is constantly being
resorbed and replaced with new bone in a process called bone remodeling.
In this lifelong process, mature bone tissue is continually turned over, with
about ten percent of the skeletal mass of an adult being remodeled each year.
Bone remodeling is carried out through the work of osteoclasts — which are
bone cells that resorb bone and dissolve its minerals — and osteoblasts,
which are bone cells that make new bone matrix.
Bone remodeling serves several functions. It shapes the bones of the skeleton
as a child grows, and it repairs tiny flaws in bone that result from everyday
movements. Remodeling also makes bones thicker at points
where muscles place the most stress on them. In addition, remodeling helps
regulate mineral homeostasis, because it either releases mineral from bones
into the blood or absorbs mineral from the blood into bones. The
figure below shows how osteoclasts in bones are involved in calcium
regulation.
Keeping the calcium level in homeostasis involves the work of osteoclasts, the bone cells that resorb bone and
release calcium into the blood.
The action of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in bone remodeling and

calcium homeostasis is controlled by a number of enzymes, hormones, and
other substances that either promote or inhibit the activity of the cells. In this
way, these substances control the rate at which bone is made, destroyed, and
changed in shape. For example, the rate at which osteoclasts resorb bone
and release calcium into the blood is promoted by parathyroid hormone (PTH)
and inhibited by calcitonin, which is produced by the thyroid gland (see the
diagram above). The rate at which osteoblasts create new bone is stimulated
by growth hormone, which is produced by the anterior lobe of the pituitary
gland. Thyroid hormone and sex hormones (estrogens and androgens) also
stimulate osteoblasts to create new bone.
Bone Repair
Bone repair (or healing) is the process in which a bone repairs itself following
a bone fracture. You can see an X-ray of a bone fracture below. In this
fracture, the humerus in the upper arm has been completely broken through
its shaft. Before this fracture heals, a physician must push the displaced bone
parts back into their correct positions. Then, the bone must be
stabilized — with a cast and/or pins surgically inserted into the bone, for
example — until the bone’s natural healing process is complete. This process
may take several weeks.
A bone fracture does not always involve a complete break in the bone, as in this X-ray. Sometimes, a fracture is just
a crack in the bone. In other cases, the bone not only breaks all the way through, but also breaks through the soft
tissues around it so it protrudes from the skin. This is called an open fracture.
Although bone repair is a natural physiological process, it may be promoted or

inhibited by several factors. Fracture repair is more likely to be successful with
adequate nutrient intake. Age, bone type, drug therapy, and pre-existing bone
disease are additional factors that may affect healing. Bones that are
weakened by disease (such as osteoporosis or bone cancer) are not only
likely to heal more slowly, but are also more likely to fracture in the first place.
Feature: Myth vs. Reality
Bone fractures are fairly common, and there are many myths about them.
Knowing the facts is important, because fractures generally require
emergency medical treatment.
Myth: A bone fracture is a milder injury than a broken bone.
Reality: A bone fracture is the same thing as a broken bone.
Myth: If you still have full range of motion in a limb, then it must not be
fractured.
Reality: Even if a bone is fractured, the muscles and tendons attached to it

may still be able to move the bone normally. This is especially likely if the
bone is cracked — but not broken — into two pieces. Even if a bone is broken
all the way through, range of motion may not be affected if the bones on either
side of the fracture remain properly aligned.
Myth: A fracture always produces a bruise.
Reality: Many — but not all — fractures produce a bruise. If a fracture does

produce a bruise, it may take several hours (or even a day or more!) for the
bruise to appear.
Myth: Fractures are so painful that you will immediately know if you break a
bone.
Reality: Ligament sprains and muscle strains are also very painful,

sometimes more painful than fractures. Additionally, every person has a
different pain tolerance. People with a high pain tolerance may continue using
a broken bone in spite of the pain.
Myth: You can tell when a bone is fractured because there will be very
localized pain over the break.
Reality: A broken bone is often accompanied by injuries to

surrounding muscles or ligaments. As a result, the pain may extend far
beyond the location of the fracture. The pain may be greater directly over the
fracture, but the intensity of the pain may make it difficult to pinpoint exactly
where the pain originates.
Summary
 Bone is very active tissue. Its cells are constantly forming and resorbing
bone matrix.
 Early in the development of a human fetus, the skeleton is made almost
entirely of cartilage. The relatively soft cartilage gradually turns into hard
bone. This is called ossification. It begins at a primary ossification center in
the middle of bone, and later also occurs at secondary ossification centers
in the ends of bone. The bone can no longer grow in length after the areas
of ossification meet and fuse at the time of skeletal maturity.
 Throughout life, bone is constantly being replaced in the process of
bone remodeling. In this process, osteoclasts resorb bone, and osteoblasts
make new bone to replace it. Bone remodeling shapes the skeleton, repairs
tiny flaws in bones, and helps maintain mineral homeostasis in the blood.
 Bone repair is the natural process in which a bone repairs itself
following a bone fracture. This process may take several weeks. In the
process, periosteum produces cells that develop into osteoblasts, and the
osteoblasts form new bone matrix to heal the fracture. Bone repair may be
affected by diet, age, pre-existing bone disease, or other factors.
Review
1. Outline how bone develops starting early in the fetal stage, and through the
age of skeletal maturity.
2. Describe the process of bone remodeling. When does it occur?
3. What purposes does bone remodeling serve?
4. Define bone repair. How long does this process take?
5. Explain how bone repair occurs.
6. Identify factors that may affect bone repair.
7. Parts of bone that have not yet become ossified are made of _________ .
8. If there is a large region between the primary and secondary ossification

centers in a bone, is the person young or old? Explain your answer.
9. The region where the primary and secondary ossification centers meet is
called the ________ ________ .
10. True or False: Most bones are made entirely of cartilage at birth.
11. True or False: A broken bone is the same as a bone fracture.
12. If bones can repair themselves, why are casts and pins
sometimes necessary in the process?
13. When calcium levels are low, which type of bone cell causes the release
of calcium to the bloodstream?
14. Which tissue and bone cell type are primarily involved in bone repair after
a fracture?
15. Describe one way in which hormones are involved in bone remodeling.
Explore More
Watch this short video to see how and why a newborn’s skeleton differs from
an adult’s skeleton.

For a better appreciation of how fractured bones heal themselves, watch this
interesting animated video about the healing process:

Skeletal - Break A Leg

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Skeletal - Break A Leg

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Skeletal - Break A Leg

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Break A Leg

1. Cartilage “model” of bone forms. This model continues to grow as

Primary and Secondary Ossification Centers

Secondary ossification centers form after birth. Ossification from secondary

Throughout childhood, the cartilage remaining in the skeleton keeps growing,

The action of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in bone remodeling and

Although bone repair is a natural physiological process, it may be promoted or

Myth: A bone fracture is a milder injury than a broken bone.

Reality: A bone fracture is the same thing as a broken bone.

Reality: Even if a bone is fractured, the muscles and tendons attached to it

Myth: A fracture always produces a bruise.

Reality: Many — but not all — fractures produce a bruise. If a fracture does

Reality: Ligament sprains and muscle strains are also very painful,

Reality: A broken bone is often accompanied by injuries to

2. Describe the process of bone remodeling. When does it occur?

3. What purposes does bone remodeling serve?

4. Define bone repair. How long does this process take?

5. Explain how bone repair occurs.

6. Identify factors that may affect bone repair.

8. If there is a large region between the primary and secondary ossification

10. True or False: Most bones are made entirely of cartilage at birth.

11. True or False: A broken bone is the same as a bone fracture.

You might also like