Briefly identify and discuss bones of the appendicular and axial skeletons, and identify and discuss the microscopic structures of compact bone

The skeletal system of the human body is made up of two main divisions, the Axial Skeleton and the Appendicular Skeleton. The Axial Skeleton consists of 80 bones that include the skull, vertebral column (spine), rib cage and hyoid bone. This region supports the head, neck, trunk and provides attachment points for muscles throughout the body. All together these bones provide protection to many vital organs such as those in the brain and thoracic cavity (Kumar et al., 2008).