BONE SURFACE MARKINGS

DEPRESSIONS/GROOVES AND JOINTS

Sites allowing the passage of soft tissue/ formation of joints
(Nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, tendons)

MARKING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE

Narrow slit between adjacent parts of
Superior orbital fissure of
Fissure bones trough which blood vessels or
sphenoid bones
nerves pass
Opening through which blood vessels, Optic foramen of sphenoid
Foramen
nerves or ligaments pass bones
Fossa Shallow depression Coronoid fossa of humerus
Furrow along bone surface that
Intertubercular sulcus of
Sulcus (groove) accommodates blood vessel, nerves or
humerus
tendon.
Meatus External auditory meatus of
Tube-like opening
(passageway) temporal bone

PROCESSES: PROJECTION OR OUTGROWTH

Form joints/ attachment points for connective tissue
(Ligament/tendons)
 FORM JOINTS
MARKING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
Large, round protuberance with smooth
Condyle (knuckle) Lateral condyle of femur
articular surface at end of bone
Smooth, flat, slightly concave/convex Superior articular facet of
Facet
articular surface vertebra
Usually rounded articular projection
Head Head of femur
supported on neck of bone

 FORM ATTACHMENT POINTS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE

MARKING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
Crest Prominent ridge or elongated projection Iliac crest of hip bone
Typically roughened projection above
Epicondyle (above) Medial epicondyle of femur
condyle
Line Long, less prominent narrow ridge/border Linea aspera of femur
Spinous process Sharp, slender projection Spinous process of vertebrae
Trochanter Very large projection Greater trochanter of femur
Tubercle (knob) Variably size rounded projection Greater tubercle of humerus
Variably sized projection that has a rough,
Tuberosity Ischial tuberosity of hip bone
bumpy surface
 BONE TISSUE
COMPACT SPONGY
Other name Cortical Trebeculae (little beams)
Density Very dense (strong) Porous (flexible, light-weight)
Location Outer bone (diaphysis) Inner bone (epiphysis)
Functional Unit Osteon (Haversian systems) Trebeculae
 Arranged in concentric  Lamellae arranged in an
lamellae around central canal irregular pattern of thin
 Contain perforating canal columns
carry blood vessels into  Space in between filled with
bone/marrow red bone marrow

Function  Provides protection & support  Filled with RBM & YBM
 Resist the stress produced by provides nourishment for
weight and movement osteocytes

COMPACT TISSUE COVERING MEMBRANE

PERIOSTEUM (OUTSIDE) ENDOSTEUM (INSIDE)

Covers all bones except enclosed parts in joint
capsules
made up of an outer (fibrous layer) and inner
(cellular layer)
 Isolate bone from surrounding tissue
 Provide circulatory and nervous supply route
 Participate in bone growth and repair
Incomplete cellular layer lines the marrow
cavity
Contains 4 types of cell (osteoprogenitor,
osteoblast, osteocytes, osteoclast)
 Active in bone growth and repair
 Covers trabeculae of spongy bone
 Lines the inner surfaces of the central
canals