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Human Body Study

Axial Skeleton

The central, core part of the skeleton — about 80 bones along the body’s main axis.

The skeleton A stylised whole-body skeleton showing the axial portion (skull, spine, ribs, sternum) and the appendicular portion (girdles and limbs). A separate joint-cross-section inset gathers the tissue-level subsystems — bone tissue, cartilage and ligaments — as they meet at a joint. Each label links to the article for that part. joint cross-section Axial skeleton Appendicular skeleton Joints Bone tissue Cartilage Ligaments The skeleton — axial vs appendicular bones, with a joint cross-section showing bone, cartilage and ligaments.

Parts

Section titled “Parts”
  • Skull — the cranium (protects the brain) and the facial bones.
  • Vertebral column — 33 vertebrae forming the spine.
  • Thoracic cage — the ribs (12 pairs) and the sternum (breastbone).
  • Associated bones — the tiny middle-ear bones and the hyoid bone of the throat.

What it does

Section titled “What it does”
  • Protects the brain, spinal cord, heart, and lungs.
  • Supports the head and trunk and transmits their weight to the limbs.
  • Anchors the muscles of posture and breathing.

Key idea

Section titled “Key idea”

The axial skeleton is the body’s protective, weight-bearing core; the limbs hang from it.