Bone Functions and Blood Cell Formation
Your skeletal system does much more than just help you stand upright! Bones provide support and protection for vital organs, with the axial skeleton (skull, mandible, thorax) safeguarding your brain, heart, and lungs. The appendicular skeleton (limbs, shoulders, hips) supports your body's weight and movement. Together, they create attachment points for muscles that enable every movement you make.
Perhaps most surprisingly, your bones serve as factories for blood cells through a process called hematopoiesis. This critical function occurs primarily in red bone marrow found in the spongy bone of the epiphyses. Red marrow produces all your blood cells, including red blood cells that carry oxygen, white blood cells that fight infection, and platelets that help with clotting.
As you age, yellow marrow (which stores fat for energy) gradually replaces some red marrow. In adults, red marrow is mainly found in the femur and pelvis, which is why these locations are used for bone marrow transplants for cancer patients.
🩸 Your bones create approximately 200 billion new blood cells every day! This remarkable production happens primarily in your hip bones, breastbone, skull, ribs, spine, and shoulders.