Textbook Question
Compare bone to cartilage tissue relative to its resilience, speed of regeneration, and access to nutrients.
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Ch. 6 Bones and Skeletal Tissues
Marieb, Hoehn11th EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780136874034
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 The Human Body: An Orientation24
- Ch. 2 Chemistry Comes Alive25
- Ch. 3 Cells: The Living Units21
- Ch. 4 Tissue: The Living Fabric20
- Ch. 5 The Integumentary System11
- Ch. 6 Bones and Skeletal Tissues19
- Ch. 7 The Skeleton14
- Ch. 8 Joints7
- Ch. 9 Muscles and Muscle Tissue26
- Ch. 10 The Muscular System26
- Ch. 11 Fundamentals of the Nervous System and Nervous Tissue19
- Ch. 12 The Central Nervous System26
- Ch. 13 The Peripheral Nervous System and Reflex Activity32
- Ch. 14 The Autonomic Nervous System19
- Ch. 15 The Special Senses26
- Ch. 16 The Endocrine System23
- Ch. 17 Blood25
- Ch. 18 The Cardiovascular System: The Heart24
- Ch. 19 The Cardiovascular System: Blood Vessels27
- Ch. 20 The Lymphatic System and Lymphoid Organs and Tissues14
- Ch. 21 The Immune System: Innate and Adaptive Body Defenses27
- Ch. 22 The Respiratory System21
- Ch. 23 The Digestive System31
- Ch. 24 Nutrition, Metabolism, and Energy Balance26
- Ch. 25 The Urinary System26
- Ch. 26 Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance24
- Ch. 27 The Reproductive System24
- Ch. 28 Pregnancy and Human Development25
- Ch. 29 Heredity11
Marieb, Hoehn11th EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780136874034Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 6, Problem 20
Mrs. Abbruzzo brought her 4-year-old daughter to the doctor, complaining that she didn't 'look right.' The child's forehead was enlarged, her rib cage was knobby, and her lower limbs were bent and deformed. X rays revealed very thick epiphyseal plates. Mrs. Abbruzzo was advised to increase dietary amounts of vitamin D and milk and to get the girl outside to play in the sun. Considering the child's signs and symptoms, what disease do you think she has? Explain the doctor's instructions.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the key clinical signs described: enlarged forehead, knobby rib cage, bent and deformed lower limbs, and very thick epiphyseal plates seen on X-rays. These signs suggest a problem with bone development and mineralization.
Step 2: Recognize that thickened epiphyseal plates indicate a delay or defect in the normal process of bone calcification and ossification, which is characteristic of rickets, a disease caused by vitamin D deficiency in children.
Step 3: Understand that vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption in the intestines, which is necessary for proper bone mineralization. Without enough vitamin D, bones become soft and deformed, leading to the symptoms observed.
Step 4: Explain the doctor's instructions: increasing dietary vitamin D and milk (a source of calcium and vitamin D) and encouraging outdoor play to increase sunlight exposure, which helps the skin synthesize vitamin D naturally.
Step 5: Summarize that the child likely has rickets, and the treatment focuses on correcting the vitamin D deficiency to promote proper bone mineralization and prevent further deformities.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Rickets
Rickets is a childhood bone disorder caused by vitamin D deficiency, leading to impaired calcium and phosphate metabolism. This results in soft, weak bones that deform under weight, causing symptoms like enlarged forehead, knobby ribs, and bowed legs. It is common in children with inadequate sun exposure or poor dietary intake of vitamin D.
Role of Vitamin D in Bone Health
Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption in the intestines, which is critical for proper bone mineralization. Without enough vitamin D, bones cannot harden properly, leading to thickened but weak growth plates and bone deformities. Sunlight exposure helps the skin synthesize vitamin D naturally, complementing dietary sources.
Epiphyseal Plates and Bone Growth
Epiphyseal plates are growth regions at the ends of long bones where new bone is formed during childhood. In rickets, these plates become abnormally thick and disorganized due to defective mineralization, causing bone deformities and growth disturbances. X-rays showing thickened epiphyseal plates are diagnostic indicators of this condition.
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Textbook Question
Noah Beckenstein went to weight-lifting camp in the summer between seventh and eighth grade. He noticed that the camp trainer put tremendous pressure on him and his friends to improve their strength. After an especially vigorous workout, Noah's arm felt extremely sore and weak around the elbow. He went to the camp doctor, who took X rays and then told him that the injury was serious, for the 'end of his upper arm bone was starting to twist off.' What had happened? Could the same thing happen to Noah's 23-year-old sister, Karen, who was also starting a program of weight lifting? Why or why not?
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Textbook Question
Compare and contrast controls of bone remodeling exerted by hormones and by mechanical and gravitational forces, including the purpose of each control system and changes in bone architecture that might occur.
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Textbook Question
What would a long bone look like at the end of adolescence if bone remodeling did not occur?
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Textbook Question
Why do you think wheelchair-bound people with paralyzed lower limbs have thin, weak bones of the leg and thigh?
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