The appendicular skeleton and the axial skeleton are two subdivisions of the human skeletal system. The bones of the head (cranium), spinal column, ribs and sternum make up the axial skeleton, whereas the bones of the upper and lower limbs make up the appendicular skeleton. Anything that revolves around an axis is referred to as axial. The word axis typically means a line that splits anything symmetrical into two equal parts. For example, the left and right halves of the body are separated by the vertebral column of the axial skeleton.

The axial skeleton is the body’s medial core, connecting the pelvis to the rest of the body where the appendix skeleton is attached. With the exception of the skull, the bones in the skeleton weaken with age. These bones serve a variety of functions for humans, including producing blood cells, helping humans hear and speak and also protecting vital organs.

The bones present in these 5 components make up the axial skeletal system in humans:

1. Skull bones
2. Hyoid bone (neck)
3. Ossicles (middle ear)
4. Vertebral column (bones of the spine)
5. Ribcage (thoracic cage)

The facial bones and cranium make up the human skull. There are 8 cranial bones. They create the skull, the brain’s tough protective outer shell. The 14 skeletal components of the face region make up the front portion of the skull. At the base of the buccal cavity, there is a solitary hyoid bone, which is a part of the skull. The three microscopic bones that make up each middle ear—the malleus, stapes and incus—are referred to as ear ossicles. Two occipital condyles assist the skull area in articulating with the superior portion of the spinal column.

The thoracic cage is made up of the ribs and sternum, or breastbone, whereas the vertebral column is the long stack of bones that make up the spine. The dorsally located vertebral column is made up of 26 serially arranged vertebrae. It extends from the skull’s base and serves as the trunk’s primary structural support.

Stay tuned to BYJU’S NEET to learn more about such exciting topics.

Also Check:

• Functions of the Human Skeletal System
• Disorders of Bones
• List of Bones – Axial Skeleton
• Vertebrae in Human Body