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=Hello! = =Welcome to the axial skeletal system wiki! =

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An adult's skeletal system is composed of 206 individual bones. These bones are divided into two different sections: the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. This wiki's main focus is on the axial skeleton section. =====

The axial skeleton is made up of 80 bones. These 80 bones are then divided into 6 different regions; skull, hyoid, auditory ossicles, ribs, sternum, and vertebral column.


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The skull is composed of 22 bones. 21 of these bones are fused together as adults. However, in children the 21 bones are separate to allow the skull and brain to grow. The one bone that is not fused is the mandible, which is the jaw bone. =====

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The hyoid is a small, U-shaped bone found near the mandible. It is the only bone in the body that does not form a joint with any other bone, it is a floating bone. The hyoid's function is to help hold the trachea, or windpipe, open and to form a bony connection for the tongue muscles. =====

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The auditory ossicles consists of three bones; the malleus, the incus, and the stapes. These bones are the smallest bones in the body. They are found inside a small cavity inside of the temporal bone and their function is to transmit and amplify sound from the eardrum to the inner ear. =====



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The sternum, also known as the breastbone, is a thin, knife-shaped bone. It is located near the midline of the front s the thoracic region of the skeleton. It is connected by thin bands of cartilage, called costal cartilage, to the ribs.=====



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A human body has 12 pairs of ribs. The first 7 ribs are called the "true ribs" because they connect what is called the thoracic vertebrae to the sternum through their own band of costal cartilage. The 8th, 9th, and 10th ribs all connect through cartilage to the sternum and that is then connected to the cartilage of the 7th rib. Because of this, these ribs are called "false ribs". The 11th and 12th ribs are also false ribs, but they do not have any cartilage attachment to the sternum at all. Because there is no attachment to the sternum, they are called "floating ribs". =====



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26 vertebrae make up the vertebral column of the human body. The vertebrae are divided into 5 regions. There are the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum and coccyx regions. The cervical region, or neck, is made up of 7vertebrae. The thoracic region, or chest, is made up of 12 vertebrae. The lumbar region, or lower back, is made up of 5 vertebrae. The sacrum, which is a large triangular bone located at the base of the spine, is made up of 1 vertebra. And last, but not least is the coccyx region, or the tailbone, and it is made up of 1 vertebra. =====



=Below are some very helpful websites:=
 * ===== Jeopardy Game - [] =====
 * ===== Quizzes, Games, and Flash Cards - [|http://quizlet.com/1960111/the-axial-skeleton-10-flash-cards][|/] =====
 * ===== More information about the axial section of the skeleton - [] =====
 * ===== In depth information about the axial skeleton - [] =====
 * ===== Study Flashcards - [] =====

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Logo Picture: [] Axial Skeleton Picture: []  =====