{"id":22074,"date":"2026-04-24T11:22:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T14:22:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mol-en.icb.usp.br\/?page_id=22074"},"modified":"2026-09-07T18:23:47","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T21:23:47","slug":"7-2-bone-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mol-en.icb.usp.br\/index.php\/7-2-bone-2\/","title":{"rendered":"7-2 Bone"},"content":{"rendered":"
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BASIC STRUCTURE OF BONES \u2013 2<\/strong> <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Long bones provide a good study material to analyze the structural design of bones.<\/strong>
\nThe bone shown in this page had all its soft tissue removed mechanically and chemically. It was then washed, allowed to dry and finally sectioned longitudinally<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Two different patterns of bone organization can be observed in the upper image .<\/strong>
\nThe outmost layer<\/strong> of the whole bone, called cortical bone<\/strong>, consists of a very dense type of bone tissue called compact bone<\/strong>. Sections of compact bone viewed with a microscope reveal that this tissue has thousands of very small cavities. This type of bone is very resistant to tension, torsion and mechanical impacts.<\/p>\n

The<\/strong> inner region<\/strong> the epiphysis (the upper part of this bone) contains millions of thin plates of bone tissue, called trabeculae<\/strong> (singular: trabecula) or spicules<\/strong>.
\nThe spatial arrangement of these trabeculae creates a large amount of spaces of different forms, that can be seen with the naked eyes. In living bone the spaces are filled with bone marrow.
\nBecause of the combination of plates and cavities between them, this type of bone is called spongy, cancellous or trabecular bone<\/strong>. The trabeculae of the spongy bone are uysually arranged according to the lines of force acting on the bone, turning the spongy bone lighter than the compact bone, yet very resistant to mechanical forces.<\/p>\n

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Macrophotograph of a dry bone. <\/p>\n

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The lower image presents a higher magnification<\/strong> of the spongy and compact bone seen in the upper image.
\nThe outer layer of the bone is made of compact bone (in red) and most of the image is occupied by trabeculae of spongy bone.
\nPlace the mouse cursor over the image or click on the image to observe: surfaces of bone trabeculae highlighted light pink areas; lacunae between trabeculae in dark red; cross-sections of trabecullae indicated by arrows.
\nCross sections observed with a microscope appear as lines or rods. <\/p>\n

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Macrophotograph of a dry bone.<\/p>\n

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