6. Bones & Skeletal Tissue

Explain why a person who is wheelchair-bound or bed-bound often has very low bone mass, especially in his or her legs.

How could diseases of the kidney, skin, and/or intestines cause diseases of the bone?

How could a disease that affects primarily cartilage impact bone growth and bone formation?

Explain why young men who take anabolic steroids (which mimic the actions of testosterone) often display stunted growth and have an overall shorter stature.

Lucy Dupre is a 2-year-old girl living in northern Canada. You notice that her growth seems abnormally slow and she has exhibited signs of weakened bones, including fractures. Her parents admit they have not supplemented her diet with vitamin D, as they feel that any supplementation is 'unnatural' and 'not organic.' Explain why Lucy is having problems with her bones and bone growth.

Fouz Akkad is a 6-year-old girl who has been diagnosed with a rare genetic defect in which her lysosomes are unable to maintain an acidic pH. What are lysosomes? Why do lysosomes require an acidic pH? How will this affect the ability of certain bone cells to function? What consequences will this disease have on Fouz's bones?

Mark the following statements about bone tissue as true or false. If a statement is false, correct it to make a true statement.

f. Osteocytes are mature and less active osteoblasts that have become surrounded by bone ECM.

Explain how abnormal bone structure could affect muscle function.

Why does a second fracture in the same bone tend to occur at a site different from that of the first fracture?

Mark the following statements about bone tissue as true or false. If a statement is false, correct it to make a true statement.

e. Osteoblasts are responsible for bone resorption, and osteoclasts are responsible for bone deposition.

Name the major functions of the skeletal system.

What are the functional relationships between the skeleton, on the one hand, and the digestive and urinary systems, on the other?

In physical anthropology, cultural conclusions can be inferred from a thorough examination of the skeletons of ancient peoples. What sorts of clues might bones provide as to the lifestyles of those individuals?