SKELETON AND SUPPORTING SYSTEM IN ANIMALS

SKeleton refers to the bony framework of the body which gives support,shape,protection to
the organs and tissues in animals.

Components of the skeletal materials

There are three forms of skeletal materials found in animals.Rhese are cuticles,bones and
cartilages.

i. Curticles:This is composed of a protein called chitin and a thin water proof layer of
wax.Animals with this chitin as part of their skeleton only grow through moulting or
ecdysis.This process involves shedding off the outer skeleton and putting on q new
one.Organisms with this type of skeletal material are mainly anthropods like insects,
crabs,scorpions, prawnse.t.c.
ii. Bones:This is a tissue and major component of the vertebral skeleton.It consists of living
bone cells (osteocytes), collagen and minerals (calcium, phosphate and calcium
carbonates). Examples of organisms with bones are mainly vertebrates,such as bony
fishes,toads,lizards, snakes,birds,and mammals.
iii. Cartilages:Cartilage is a tissue found in the skeleton of complex vertebrates. It consists of
living cells(chondroblasts), carbohydrates and protein fibres. It is a tough and flexible
tissue which acts as a shock absorber against collision of bonee duribg movement.
Organisms with cartilages are the cartilagenous fishes like sharks,rays and mammals
generally.
There are different types of cartilages which include;hyaline cartilage, fibro cartilage,
elastic cartilage.
TYPES OF SKELETON
There are three types of skeleton which are as follows;
a) Hydrostatic (fluid) skeleton: This types of skeleton is found in soft-bodied animals.
They have fluids pressure which provides support and maintains the shape and form
of the animal. The fluid are secreted to fill up spaces in the walls of the muscles
which exerts pressure on the walls. Examples of organisms with this type of skeleton
are earthworm and anemones.
b) Exoskeleton: This is the type of skeleton found outside the body of some animals.
Most invertebrates do posses cuticle which contains chitin. The chitin gives shape,
support, shape to the animals. Examples of organisms include; invertebrates such as
the euglena, hydra, paramecium, snails, insects, crabs, spiders, millipedes, e.t.c.
Organisms with this type of skeleton can only grow by shedding off its old skeleton
and grows a new one.
c) Endoskeleton: This type of skeleton is found inside the body of animals.
Endoskeleton exists in bony or cartilaginous skeleton of fishes, toads ,lizards, birds
 and mammals. Endoskeleton in vertebrate is made of cartilages and bones. In
mammals the endoskeleton consists of skull, vertebral column, ribs. E.t.c.

FUNCTION OF THE SKELETON IN ANIMALS

i. The rigid frame work of the skeleton gives support to the body
ii. The skeleton protects important and delicate organs of the body. For instance, the skull
covers or protects the brain tissues, the rib-cage covers the heart, lungs and blood
vessels.
iii. The skeleton consists of jointed pieces of bones which aids movement.
iv. The skeleton also aids respiration.
v. The white and red blood cells are manufactured in the bone marrows.
vi. The skeleton gives shape to the body.
vii. The skeleton also helps to store minerals such as calcium, phosphorus hence bones are
sources of food for livestock e.g. bone meal.
viii. The skeleton provides attachment sites for muscles .

PARTS OF THE SKELEON

The skeletal system in mammals are grouped into two main parts. These are the axial and
appendicular skeleton.
i. Axial skeleton: This parts of the skeleton consists of the skull, vertebral column or
backbone, ribs and sternum.
ii. Appendicular skeleton: This is made up of the limbs which include; pelvic and pectoral
girdles, fore-arms and hind-legs.

Assignment: Draw a well labeled diagram of the skeleton of a rat and human being.

JOINTS
A joint is a place where two or more bones meet. Joints are held together firmly by ligaments
which are made of stiff, partially elastic fibres. The joints consists of synovial fluid which
lubricates the bones to reduce friction.

Types of joints

There are two main types of joints in mammals which are immovable or fixed joints and
moveable joints.
a. Immoveable joints: These are joints where two or more bones are firmly
attached to one another in a manner that movement of the bones is not
possible.

b. Moveable joints: These are joints where two or more bones meet in a way that
bones move over each other, making movement possible. Most of the bones in
the body are held by moveable joints which includes;
I. Ball and socket joints: This is found in the shoulder and hips regions. It allows
movement in all directions.

II. Hinge joint: This is found in the elbow and knee regions. The joints allow
movement in only one direction. As the name implies each set of bones in
the hinge joints functions like one half of a hinge.

III. Gliding and sliding joint: The gliding joints allows for sliding movement of
bones over one another. Examples are found in the wrist and ankle which
allows the hand and foot to move up and down.

IV. Pivot joints: This joint allows nodding or rotation of one part of the body on
another. It is found between the axis and atlas vertebrae.

Assignment: Draw and label a typical

1. Ball and socket joint.
2. Hinge joint.
 VERTEBRAL COLUMN

The vertebral column also known as the backbone or spinal column. It forms the backbone or
vertebrate of animals and protects the spinal cord.
In mammals, there are five different vertebrae which are;

a. Cervical vertebrae: These are found in the neck region. In man, there are seven cervical
bones with the first two called atlas and axis accordingly.

b. Thoracic vertebrae: These are found in the chest region. In man, there are twelve in
Number. It aids in the attachment of the ribs, muscles to neural spines.

c. Lumbar vertebrae: These are found in the upper part of the abdomen. In man, they are
five in Number. They bear considerable weight of the body and provide attachment for
abdominal muscles.

d. Caudal vertebrae: The caudal bones are found in the tail region which decreases in size
from the sacrum backward. In man, there are four of the caudal bones. They fuse
together to form the coccyx. They support the tail and provide attachment for the tail
muscles.

e. Sacral vertebrae: They are found in the lower part of the abdomen. In man there
are five in number. They are fused together to form the sacrum. They are joined
to the pelvic bone to give support, strength, and rigidity.