2 Normal Structure and Function of
Musculoskeletal Tissues
Having completed the preclinical phase of
your undergraduate coune, you will have
learned much about the embryology, anat-
‘omy, histology, biochemistry and physiology
of the musculoskeletal tissues in humans. Tis,
isextremely important, because to understand.
the abnormal, you must have an understand:
ing ofthe normal indeed, your knowledge of
the normal will serve asa broad base on whieh
to build a knowledge of the abnormal. Some
of the more important aspects of this broad
base are reviewed to reesh your memory and
to prepare you for subsequent study of the
abnormal clinical conditions of the muscu:
skeletal system (also known as the locomotor
system).
BONES AS STRUCTURES AND
BONE AS AN ORGAN
“The tissue bone is considered from two en
tirely different points of view: 1) individual
bbones are anatomical structures and 2) bone
ofthe entre skeleton collectively ia plysolen
cal organ that is metabolically active.
Since the nonliving intercellular matrix of
bone iscakified, or stoncike itis one of the
hard tissues. Indeed, its hardness provides the
strength to individual bones a strucrs and
enables them to serve three functions: 1) to
provide the rigid framework fr the trunk and
extremities to withstand mechanical loads; 2)
to serve as levers for the locomotor function
of skeletal muscles; 3) to afford protection for
vulnerable viscera for example, the skull for
the bran, the spine for the spinal cord, and
the thoracic eage forthe heartand lungs. Bone
‘of the entire skeleton as an oxgan serves 10
aaditional funetions: 4) it contains hemopoi
cc tissue ofthe myeloid type forthe produc:
“Anatanny isto plsilegy as geagraphy isto his
tory: it desribes the theatre of events.”
—Jean Ferme (1497-1558)
‘On the Natural Part of Medicine (Ch. 1)
tion of enthrocytes, granular leukocytes, and
platelets and 5) itis the organ of storage or
reservoir for calcium, phosphorus, magne~
sium, and sodium, helping to maintain the
“miliew intérieur” of ionized mineral homeo
stasis by storing or releasing these substances
as the need arises,
Thus, in addition to being bone forming
‘ells, osteoblasts also govern metabolism in
response to a wide variety of stimuli—bio-
chemical, mechanical, electrical, and mag
netic —via specifi cellular receptors.
Embryonic Development of
Bones
In the intial stages of development, the tube
shaped embryo contains three primary germ
cell layers: the ectoderm or covering layer, the
‘endoderm or lining layer, and the mesoderm or
‘midale layer. From the mesoderm comes the
amcsenclyme, 2 diffuse cellular tissue that ex-
Iibis pluripotentility inthe sense tha its un
sltlrentiated cells are capable of
ing into any one of several types of connestive
tissue such as bone, cartilage, ligament, mus-
cle, tendon and fascia. Bone and cartilage,
being able to support weight through their
non-living intercellular substances, may be
‘thought of as supporting connective tists,
Diuring the filth week of embryonic devel
‘opment, the limb buds, covered by ectoderm,
appear. In the central axis of each limb bud,
the mesenchymal cells become condensed
into a shore cylinder. This cylinder is seg:
mented by less densely cellular areas at the
sites of urure joins and each segment repre
seats a tiny mexenchymal model of the Future
long bone that will develop from it (Fig. 2.1)
By the sixth embryonic week, the undifren
7Section | Basic Musculoskeletal Science
PeRICHORORUN
ARILAGE
nee
& were
CARTILAGE MODEL
Figure.
pene
tiated mesenchymal cells of each model begin
to differentiate by manufacturing. cartilage
matrix and thereby forming a cartilaginous
‘model of the future bone. The cartilaginous
model grows partly from within (intersirial
growth) and parly through the apposition of
‘new cells on its surface (appositional growth )
fiom the deeper layers of the perichondrium
(Fig. 2.1).
After the seventh week of embryogenesis,
the cartilage cells in the center of the model
ihyperropiy and form longitudinal rows after
which the intercellular substance, or matrix,
‘ake, resulting in cel death. Vascular con”
nective issue then grows into the central area
‘of dead cartilage bringing asteoblats that s¢-
‘rete collagen and proteogleans into the ma-
trix; the matrix is then impregnated with eal-
cium saltsand becomes immature bone on the
caleified cartilage matrix, thereby forming the
primary center of osification. This process of
replacement of cartilage by bone is called en-
dochoniral osification and i occurs only in
the presence of capillaries. The endochondral
ossification advances toward each end of the
‘arilage model, which, in tur, continues to
sgrow in length a its cartilaginous ends by i
tersttal growth. The perichondrium has by
thistime become periosteum, and in ts deeper
layer, the mesenchymal cells, which have di
ferentiated into osteoblasts, Iay down bone
directly by the process of intramembranous
sification, there being no intermediate
cartilaginous phase (Fig. 2.1)
Embryonic development ofa long bone during the fist 6 months of embryo
By the sith month of embryonic develop-
ment, resorption ofthe central par ofthe ong,
tone results in the formation of a medullary
cavity—the proces of tabulation, At the time
of birth, the largest epiphysis in the body (dis-
tal femoral epiphysis) has developed a second-
any center of eifcation by the process of en-
dochondral osiication within it (Fig. 2.2).
Secondary centers of osifcation appear inthe
other cartilaginous epiphyses at varying ages
after bith, Each such center, or one mt
‘leu, ssepuated from the metaphysis by a
special plat of growing cardlage—the pip
teal plate or ploy, which provides growth in
the length ofthe bone through che interstitial
srowth of cartilage cells
“The short bones (the carpal bones) are
developed by endochondral ossification in the
same manner asthe epiphyses. By contrast,
the lvl and mostof the sul develop bone
directly the mesenchymal mode by the pro-
cess ofimamembranous ossification from the
Peron ito gga
rows phase
uring the earty week of intrauterine if,
the developing embryo is paricularty suscep
ble to notious environmental fcros that a=
rive via the placental circulation. For example,
ifthe mother develops a rubella infection oF
takes a harmful drug sch as thalidomide dur-
ing this ertcal period, embryonic develop-
ments ikel to be seriously fected, The ex
tent ofthe resultant abnormality depends on‘Chapter 2. Normal Structure and Function of Musculoskeletal Tissues 11
liver. Thyroxine is also essential for normal
longitudinal growth. Sex hormones are in-
volved in the characteristic postpubertal
“growth spurt” in adolescent boys and gies.
Glucocorticoids (cortisones) have an inhibi
tory effect on growth as seen in Cushing's
syndrome, whether naturally occurring or
secondary to prolonged therapeutic adminis:
tration of cortisone to children
Growth in Width
Bones increase in width by means of apposi-
tional growth from the osteablastsinthe deep,
‘or inner (cambium), layer of the periosteum,
the process being one of intramembranous os.
sification. Simultancously, the medullary c2v
ity becomeslarger through osteoclastic resomp-
tion of bone on the inner surface of the cortex,
‘which is lined by endosteum.
Remodeling of Bone
During longitudinal growth, the flared me-
taphyseal regions of bone must be continually
remodeled as the epiphysis moves progres-
sively farther away from the shaft. This is ac:
‘complished by simultaneous osteoblastic dep:
‘sition of bone on one surface and osteoclastic
internal architecture of the upper end of the
femur (Fig. 2.6).
cis likely thatthe phenomenon of Wolfs
law is mediated by induced electrical poten-
tials. For cxample, in a bowed tubular
bone—or a curved tabecula of cancellous
bbone—a negative electrical charge or poten:
tial exists on the coneave side (compression
force) and a postive charge on the convex side
(tension force). Furthermore, it would seem
that a negative charge induces bone deposi-
tion, whereas a postive charge induces bone
resorption. (During the past decade, this con
‘cept of electrical stimulation of osteogenesis
has been increasingly applied to the healing
Of delayed union of fractures in patients, as.
discussed in Chapters 6 and 15}
Anatomy and Histology of
Bones as Structures
Anatomical structure
Bones, from the viewpoint of their gross struc-
ture, are classified as 1) long bones, or tubular
bones (e.g. femur), 2) short bones or cuboidal
bones (eg. eapal bones), and 3) lat bones
(€4&, scapula), Furthermore, cach bone con-
‘sition of bone on one ska ant OsteoeasHS
resorption on the opposite surfie
However, remodeling of bone continues
throughout lie since some haversian systems,
for exteons, continually erode through ll
‘death as well a through factors that demand
removal of calcium from bone; therefore, dep
‘sition of bone must aso contne to main
tain bone balance. During the growing years,
bone deposition exceeds bone resorption, and
the child is ina state of pastve bone balance
By contrat in od age, bone deposition ean
not keep pace with bone resorption, and the
elderly person isin a state of negative bone
balance
Remodeling of bone also occurs in re-
sponse to physical stresses—or to the lack of
them—in that bone is deposited in sites sub
jected to stres and is resorbed from sites
‘where there i ile stress. This phenomenon
‘generally referred to as Wolf law and is
‘exemplified by marked cortical thickening on
the concave side ofa curved bone (Fig. 2.5) as
‘wells by the alignment of trabecular systems
along the lines of weightbearing stress in the
sists of dense cortical bone (compacta )on the
‘outside and a sponge-like arrangement of ra
becular bone (spongiess) on the inside (Fig.
2.7). In children, the covering periosteum is
thick and loosely attached to the cortex, and
ic produces new bone readily. In adults, by
contrast, the periosteum becomes progres-
sively thinner and more adherent to the cor
tex, and it produces new bone less readily.
“This fandamental difference explains, in part,
‘why fractures heal more rapidly in young chil
dren than in adults.
Blood Supply to Long Bones
Three distinct vascular systems exist in long
bones: 1) an afferent vascular system compris
ing nutrient and metaphyseal arteries that to:
gether supply the inner two thirds ofthe cor:
tex and periosteal arteries that supply. the
‘outer one third, 2 )an efferen vascular system
that conveys venous blood, and 3) an ineerme-
diate vascular system of capillaries within the
cortex. The direction of blood flow through
a long bone is normally centrifugal, that is,12 Section! Basie Musculoskeletal Science
gure 25,
“Left An cxample of Wolf's Iw is sen inthe tibia of 2-year-old child with
1 Bow le defrmiy, Note the sgnifcant thickening ofthe medal cores, which onthe
‘Concave side ofthe deformity and is aubjested tothe most sex on wightheaing,
Figure 2.6. Right. An cxample of Wolfs aw is sem in the itsral architecture ofthis
ded specimen of the upper end ofthe femar of an adult Note the alignment of the
teabeclar sytem of cancellous bone along th Eines of weight bearing secs,
from the medullary cavity to the periosteal
surface.
Histological Structure
From the viewpoint of its microscopic struc:
ture, bone is classified in the following way
(the’commonly used synonyms are included
in parentheses)
+ Immature bone (nonlamellar bone, wowen
bone, fiber bone)
+ Mature bone (lamellar bone): (1) cortical
bone (dense bone, compacta); (2) cancel
lous bone (trabecular bone, spongiosa)
The two major histological types of bone
demonstrate significant differences in their
relative content of cells, collagen, and proteo:
aycans
Immature Bone
The frst one that i formed by endochondral
‘ossification during embryonic development is
Cf the immature type; subsequently, itis re
placed gradually by mature bone s0 that by
the age of 1 year, immature bone is no longer
seen under normal conditions. Nevertheless,
throughout life, under any abnormal condi-
tion in which new bone is formed rapidly
(such as the healing of fracture and the reac:
tion toan infection or a tumor), the first bone
formed is of the immature type. Here again,
the rapidly formed immature bone is subse
quently replaced by mature bone, Immature
bone, aso called fiber bone or woven bone
because ofits large proportion of iregularly
“woven” collagen fibers in a haphazard ar-
rangement, is very cellular and contains more[ec vercetunirSuostance;ienes ura icin
14 Section! Basic Musculoskeletal Science