Skeletal Materials of Animals.

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Today, I would be letting us know what the skeleton is made up of.

Introduction

Skeletal materials simply means what the skeleton is made or compose of.

There are 3 main types of materials found in the skeletons of animals and they are the chitin, cartilage and most especially bone.

You might wonder, why do we need the skeletons. The simple answer is the skeleton is a supporting structure that provides support against gravity and is flexible to allow movements.

The Chitin

This is a carbohydrate material, that is tough, flexible and light. It gets strengthened by proteins and minerals deposits. The chitin is a major constituent of the arthropod skeleton.

The Cartilage

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It consists of carbohydrates, protein, fiber and living cells. This tissue is tough and flexible, found in the skeleton of complex vertebrae. It has great tensile strength capable of absorbing shock , it cushions the effect of bone moving against bones during movement.

There are about 3 types of cartilage in mammals which are;
● Hyaline Cartilage
● Fibro-Cartilage
● Elastic Cartilage

Fact: The cartilage does not have it’s own supply of blood and thus depends on oxygen and nutrients being diffused across nearby tissues.

The Bone

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The bone tissue is the major component of the vertebral skeleton and is made up of protein fibers, living bone cells (-osteocytes) and minerals (-calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate). The bone is a stronger tissue because the minerals make up a greater part of the bone mass. And the bone has its own blood supply.

Did you know? - The skeleton in a young vertebrae embryo is made up of cartilage, as the embryo develops the cartilage cells are replaced with bone cells, by the addition of minerals that causes the cartilage tissue to harden into bone.

Note: This entire process is known as ossification

Thank you for reading through and I hope you have been enlightened on what the skeleton is made up of.

Stay tuned for more details on the skeleton.

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