How many bones in a human body

Bones provide the structure for our bodies. The adult human skeleton is made up of 206 bones. These include the bones of the skull, spine (vertebrae), ribs, arms and legs. Bones are made of connective tissue reinforced with calcium and specialised bone cells. Most bones also contain bone marrow, where blood cells are made.The human skeleton of an adult consists of around 206 to 213 bones, and there are 300 bones in children, depending on the counting of sternum (which may alternatively be included as the manubrium, body of sternum, and the xiphoid process).

Human

There are a total of 206 bones in the adult human body. They range in size from the tiniest found in the middle ear, to the largest that forms our thigh. The human body has an amazing array of different bones, many of which you can find on yourself or on a skeleton. Knowledge of the skeletal structure of the human body is essential to know before any anatomy exam, especially in clinical situations where accurate descriptions of bony trauma will be required.The hip joint is a ball and socket joint and is formed between the head of the femur and the acetabulum. It is a deep joint reinforced by the acetabular labrum and strong ligaments, namely the iliofemoral, ischiofemoral, and pubofemoral. The iliofemoral is the strongest ligament in the human body and has two distinct bundles. Hence it is also known as the ‘y ligament of Bigelow.’ It is a highly strong and mobile joint.

Bones are often thought of as static structures which only offer structural support. However, they truly function as an organ. Like other organs, bones are valuable and have many functions. Besides providing shape to the human body, bones permit locomotion, motor capability, protect vital organs, facilitate breathing, play a role in homeostasis, and produce a variety of cells in the marrow critical for survival. Bones are continually undergoing structural and biological change, and remodeling of bone continues throughout life based on the demands placed upon them.Of the three primordial tissue layers in the human embryo, bone tissue derives primarily from the mesoderm. Some craniofacial bones and the bones of the middle ear arise instead from neural crest cells. In developmental disorders of neural crest cell migration, craniofacial malformations are sometimes evident. During development, long and short bones develop via the process of endochondral ossification. In this process, bone replaces a cartilaginous precursor template during maturation. (Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)