Tissues — Science STD 9 — Question

All of the bones in our body are joined together with different types of joints. There are three main types of joints.

1. Fibrous joints: Fibrous (synarthrodial) joints have only a ligament holding the joint together. For example our teeth attachment to their bony socket and the radioulnar and the tibiofibular joints.

2. Cartilaginous Joints (synchondroses and sympheses): As the name suggests in these joints the connection between bones is made of cartilage. An example would be between the vertebrae of the spine.

3. Synovial Joints (diarthrosis):

These are the most common joint in the human body, there are six different types classified by their shape and movement. Below are some traits common to all synovial joints.

• Synovial joints are very movable.
• The ends of the bones meeting in the joint are covered in a layer of articular cartilage.
• The joint has a thin layer of synovial fluid which separates and lubricates the cartilage covered bones.
• The joint surfaces are encapsulated by a synovial membrane which produces synovial fluid. This is backed by a thicker subsynovial membrane.