Unit 7 Reflection

Unit 7 Reflection

This unit focused on the Skeletal system from microscopic anatomy of bone to the 119 bone names, position, and the joint that they are connected to. To begin I will be explaining bones role and how they are able to heal. Bone's roll is support of the body, protection of small organs, movement due to attached skeleton muscles, storage of minerals and fats, and blood cell formation. The 2 basic types are compact and spongy bone, and they are classified as long, short, flat, and irregular. Some long bones are humerus, radius, ulna, femur, and more. They consist of layers in the diaphysis (middle part) with include the nutrient arteries, sharpeys fibers, peritoneum, compact bone, yellow bone marrow, and endosteum in order from outer to inner. On the ends of the bone, there is the epiphysis which are made of spongy bone. That is the stereotypical bone but there are the others; Short bones are made of spongy bone (carpels, tarsals), flat bone is flat compact bone (skull, ribs, and sternum), and irregular bone which is not in the other classifications (vertebrate). 

The way bones form through ossification and the way bones heal is through this process: the osteoclasts will break the bone cells that are no longer helpful and then osteoblasts produce osteocalcin binds the calcium to the proteins and secrete collagen so that the osteoblasts turn into osteocytes which are mature bone cells. A big aspect of bone is the bone density which is calculated by the how many grams of calcium are packed into a segment of bone matrix. Calcium is found in food and is in the Unit 2 Reflection, but also, calcium is used for blood clotting, repairing teeth, nerve function, muscle function, heart function, and maintaining pH of blood and body fluids.

A now intake of calcium would cause osteoporosis which is when bone becomes more brittle and it will become more susceptible to bone fractures. Other skeletal diseases include scoliosis which is abnormal curvature of the spine and Kyphosis, which is when the spine either has a hump which is the compacting of the cervical vertebrates or the thoracic vertebrates are curved in. 

I would love to learn more about the evolution of bones from ancestral species and why or how they evolved. Also, I would like to learn how the body can adapt or reject bone transplants since everyone's' body will react differently. I do not have any unanswered questions but I also wonder if bone was taken from one body part to fill in for another, would that original placement of the bone be weaker or would osteoblasts fill in. Also, do hox genes have affect with the bone placement?

My learning and growth as a student has come mainly through 20 time as I discover what it is like to be a researcher and try hard to create a final product that makes an impact to someone. I have learned how to hurdle over obstacles that have gotten in my way through 20 time but also through school work and handling college stress, school stress, and social stress. 

My goals for this year have been on rough patches because taking all the time to keep up with my studies have cut into my "me" time so I have not been able to run or go to the weight room as much as I had wished. Realizing this now, I need to take a step back and focus on what is most healthy for me and realize that I am still a second semester senior and I need to also spend time making memories with friend.