Bone Types

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Bone Types

There are two types of bone in the adult human body that can be recognized macroscopically:
Cortical Bone
  • Also known as compact bone
  • Solid, hard, and very strong bone
  • Forms the shafts of long bones (diaphysis), such as the femur and tibia
  • Forms exterior surfaces of flat bones, such as the ribs and skull
Trabecular Bone
  • Also known as spongy bone
  • Consists of a mesh of bone strands each approximately 1mm thick
  • Found in the ends of long bones (epiphysis) and center of flat bones