Having studied Chapter 7, you will be aware that the body functions by means of a complex arrangement of systems. Each system is made up of organs, and each organ is made up of specialised groups of cells called tissues.

The skeletal system is known as a structural system and is responsible for the support and protection of the soft structures of the body. The muscular system is also covered in this chapter since it works closely with the skeletal system to achieve movement.

The skeletal system comprises mainly bone and cartilage plus the tissues that make up the joints.

The muscular system comprises skeletal muscle (attached to the skeletal system and under voluntary control) smooth muscle (which is not under conscious control) and cardiac muscle (the specialised muscle of the heart).

The objectives of this chapter are:

• To understand basic terms and definitions relevant to the skeletal system.
• To understand the structure and development of cartilage and bone.
• To recognise the 3 types of joint and how each works.
• To recognise the bones comprising the axial skeleton.
• To understand the structure of the teeth and quote dental formulae.
• To recognise the bones comprising the appendicular skeleton.
• To establish the differences between muscle, tendons and ligaments and recognise their respective roles.