Bone can be classified based on both anatomy and structure

 anatomic
o long bones
o flat bones
 structure
o macroscopic level
 cortical
 cancellous
o microscopic level
 lamellar
 woven bone
Compact bone
 Compact bone (cortical bone) -dense bone is a type of
connective tissue where the intracellular matrix is filled
with solid organic ground substance and inorganic salts.
There are tiny spaces (lacunae) between the matrix where
osteocytes are present.
 Also known as cortical bone; covering the cortex i.e. outer
surfaces of the bone.
 Provides articulation in the joints
 Hard and strong (as opposed to soft and weak in spongy
bone) therefore support the weight of the body as well as body movement.
 Compact bone makes up 80 percent of the human skeleton.

 Structure: Made up of lamellae, and contains spaces (lacunae) containing osteocytes, and
microscopic canals (canaliculi). Canaliculi=blood supply and removal of waste.
 Layers are arranged in the form of rings that surround a narrow canal (Haversian canal)
present at the centre of each ring (blood vessels, nerve fibres, and some cells)
 One Haversian canal and the lamellae around it= Haversian system or osteon.
 Circumferential lamellae is located near the surface of the bones.

Spongy bone
Function:
 Found INSIDE the long bones near the ends therefore important in growth.
 It is light and porous bone with honeycombed or spongy appearance.
 This gives it greater surfaces area compared to compact bone therefore making it suitable for
metabolic activities such as Ca ion exchange. High metabolic activity is required for the
growth plates to grow.
 Contains red bone marrow for haematopoiesis.
  Due to its light and porous natures it is most affected in osteoporosis.
 The spaces between are often filled
with marrow and blood vessels. Makes up
around 20% of the skeletal system.
Structure:
Spongy Bone does not include osteons.
Instead, spongy bone consists of an irregular
lattice of thin columns of bone called trabeculae
(literally "little beams"), which contain lamellae, osteocytes, lacunae and canaliculi. The spaces
between the trabeculae of some spongy bones are filled with red bone marrow.

 Trabeculae is the primary anatomical and functional unit of spongy bone.

 Each trabeculae is made up of a number of lamellae (described above) between which there are
lacunae containing osteocytes.
 Canaliculi, containing the processes of osteocytes, radiate from the lacunae.
 The trabeculae enclose wide spaces that are filled in by bone marrow. They receive nutrition
from blood vessels in the bone marrow.

Similarities/Differences
Both are made up of lamellae.
Difference: Volume occupied by bony lamellae and by the spaces.
In compact bone the spaces are small and the solid bone is abundant, whereas in cancellous bone the
spaces are large and actual bone tissue is sparse.

Lamellar bone
 Each lamellus is a thin plate of bone consisting of collagen fibres and mineral salts that are
deposited in a gelatinous ground substance.
 Between adjoining lamellae=
small flattened spaces or
lacunae containing one
osteocyte.
 Canaliculi (from lacunae)
communicate with those from
other lacunae. The canaliculi
are occupied by delicate
cytoplasmic processes of
osteocytes.
 Collagen fibres allow for the lamellar appearance. The fibres of one lamella run parallel to
each other; but those of adjoining lamellae run at varying angles to each other. The ground
substance of a lamellus is continuous with that of adjoining lamellae.

Woven bone
 All newly formed bone is woven bone but later replaced by lamellar bone.
 In contrast to mature bone, newly formed bone does not have a lamellar structure.
 Random arrangement of collagen fibres, giving it its woven shape.
 Abnormal persistence of woven bone is a feature of Paget’s disease. Bones are weak and
there may be deformities.