ANAT2511 Bones and Joints

ANAT2511 Fundamentals of Anatomy This histology practical support page content is not part of the histology practical class and provides only background information for student self-directed learning purposes. Histology lecturer notice.

General Objective

To recognise bone in histological sections and understand its microscopic structure. To know the histology of a synovial joint and a symphysis joint (intervertebral disc) and the function of different tissues within the joints.


Axial skeleton	Appendicular skeleton (limb)	Femur (from the lower limb)

Haversian System

Individual bone forming cells (osteocytes) live in the spaces (lacunae) with the bone matrix surrounding a central blood vessel and nerve filled space (Haversian canal) that provides nutrition to these cells.

Vertebra and Intervertebral Disc

Bone - Developing vertebra (bony collar) with newly formed bone matrix (red) surrounding mature bone forming cells (osteocytes) and with immature bone forming cells (osteoblasts) on the surface of the new bone.

Cartilage (blue) containing cartilage forming cells (chondrocytes) that are dying near bony collar.

This cartilage formed the original template for where the bone will form and is gradually replaced, as these cells die, by bone formation (endochondral ossification).

Intervertebral disc - lies between 2 adjacent vertebra.

Its structure has a jelly like core (nucleus pulposus) surrounded by a tough fibrous connective tissue (fibrocartilage).

Course Links

Histology Glossary: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ANAT2241 Support | Histology | Histology Stains | Embryology Glossary

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Practical support

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